Biography

Elnaz moved to Melbourne from Iran in 2013.

Her first introduction to pottery was during high school. She continued to practice on and off throughout the years, however, it wasn’t until finishing university that she began her career as a ceramicist.

Elnaz studied Industrial Design in Tehran. After graduating from university, she became her ceramic teacher’s assistant and began her professional career as a ceramist. She was mentored by one of Iran’s leading ceramicists and sculptors Maryam Salour. This mentorship brought ideas of European history, minimalism, modernism and truth of form.

In 2013 Elnaz set up her own studio in Ripponlea and established her small business ‘Elnaz Ceramics’ which provides handmade quality ceramic wares in Melbourne. Her tablewares are nature-inspired, high quality, unique artworks: the goal being to bring modern art into everyday life.

Elnaz’s artwork is recognisable by its vivid use of colour and contrast, which came from a rebellion against Iran’s traditional use of “blue”.

She creates both sculpture and functional ceramics using clay/ceramics and other materials such as wood and metal. Elnaz’s modern designs represent both emotions and motion; her ideas expressed in irregular, and often asymmetric, vessel shapes, as well as through combinations of different glazes and colours.

Elnaz has displayed her ceramics in both Melbourne and Iran in exhibitions such as the Iranian Ceramic Biennial, Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition and the Association of Sculptors Victoria Annual & Awards Exhibition, Melbourne. In 2016 Elnaz won the Art Almanac Prize at the 2016 Association of Sculptors Victoria Annual and Awards Exhibition for her sculpture The Eye.

Her work has been featured in Frankie Magazine, and she has also been profiled in the the Design Files, Cuckoo Magazine and in Venice Clay Artists .

Exhibitions

  • Victorian Craft Award Group Exhibition in Melbourne, VIC Australia 2017
  • Toorak village sculpture Exhibition Group Exhibition in Melbourne, VIC Australia 2017
  • Annual & Awards Exhibition Melbourne, VIC Australia 2016
  • Out of the blue Group Exhibition at Panoply gallery, Melbourne, VIC Australia 2015
  • Belonging Australian ceramic Triennial, Australian national University Canberra, ACT Australia 2015
  • Toorak village sculpture Exhibition Group Exhibition in Melbourne, VIC Australia 2015
  • Melbourne international flower and garden show Group Exhibition in Melbourne, VIC Australia 2015
  • A4 Art Australia Group Exhibition in Herring Island Summer Arts Festival, VIC Australia 2014 & 2015
  • Narrative Group Exhibition in Herring Island Summer Arts Festival, VIC Australia 2015
  • Annual & Awards Exhibition Melbourne, VIC Australia 2015
  • Belonging Group Exhibition Canberra, ACT, Australia 2015
  • Valley Potters Stimulus of the New at Kingston art gallery, VIC Australia 2014
  • Pottery Expo at Warrandyte, VIC Australia 2014
  • Valley Potters 35 ON Group Exhibition at Wyreena Gallery, VIC Australia 2013
  • Neel Art Gallery Group Exhibition Tehran, Iran 2011
  • The 10th National Biennial of Iranian Contemporary Ceramic Group Exhibition Semnan, Iran 2011
  • The 8th National Biennial of Iranian Contemporary Ceramic Group Exhibition Tehran, Iran 2006