Dante Design

Ceramic artist Katrina Kenny's new range of sculptured, decorative giftware was inspired by ancient European and South American ruins. The three-dimensional artworks are available in four different themes:

Classic Fragments - Roman face tiles, column scrolls, Latin verses and Mayan panels
Domestic Pleasures - flowers, butterflies and leaves
Faux Fruit - images of lemon, olive, chilli, pear and crab apple
Life's A Beach - fish, shells, water features and fountain spouts

The new relief ceramics and handpainted panels look very trendy hanging in courtyards as well as on interior walls. Katrina also crafts tabletops and ornaments, and larger works can be custom-made.

New Technology

The artworks are made from a new type of ceramic material known as Cerastone®. Katrina and her partner, Eric Cossich, worked with the CSIRO for two years to develop the material which combines the qualities of stone with the versatility of ceramics. It has a much smaller shrinkage rate (around 1%) and is not as fragile as clay, allowing it to be made into very large pieces. It is also ideal for more faithful reproduction of finely detailed work.

Method

The fired Cerastone® panels are handpainted and glazed before installation. They fit together like pieces from a giant Lego set, and can be installed in a variety of shapes. Once each shape is complete, joins between the panels are concealed with grout. Grout is also used near the coloured areas of each panel to create the illusion that the pattern is made up of many small tiles. Cerastone® can be glazed in a variety of colours in gloss or matt finishes, and it can be lime washed, painted or stained. Dante Design's pieces will last for centuries. Exposure to the elements merely adds more character.

Prices and availability

Giftware pieces start from $8 for a small Latin ornament up to $200 for larger pieces. Cerastone® tile panels range from $40 to $150 depending on the finish and size.

Tabletops, without bases, cost $200 (500mm size) and $600 (1m square size). Commissioned pieces vary depending on size and complexity. Cerastone® panels and plaques by Dante Design are available throughout Australia from selected nurseries, gift and homeware stores. For commissioned pieces, or more information, contact:

Katrina Kenny or Eric Cossich
Dante Design
PO Box 150
Echunga, SA, 5153
Phone: (08) 8388 8400, fax (08) 8388 8090
Email: dante@camtech.net.au Mark Barnett

Mark Barnett Gardens,
Adelaide, SA
Phone: 018 089 090

Peter Glass
Peter Glass and Associates,
Level 2, 28 Chandos Street
St. Leonards, NSW, 2065
Phone: (02) 9906 2727
Email: design@peterglass.com.au
Web: www.peterglass.com.au

Dante Design Sydney distributors
Jim Dyer and Michael Kluver
108 Wyndham Street
Alexandria, NSW, 2015
Phone: (02) 9698 1684, (02) 9698 1822
Mobile: 0413 137 806

Further reading

This story is featured in the July 2000 edition of the Burke's Backyard magazine.

Copyright CTC Productions 2000