Bio
Lee-Anne Peters was born in Tasmania, in May 1976 as Lee-Anne Willson. She is happily married to Cory and has two adult children from her first marriage - they all live happily in Tasmania, Australia.
Lee-Anne is the founder of Temple of Balance, and has been working with people through her online business since 2005. Art has been a huge part of her Temple of Balance work - especially drawing. Lee-Anne has created five decks of tarot-style cards featuring her artwork and creates drawings to help others through an art-therapy type of approach. You can browse her Temple of Balance work on this link: www.TempleofBalance.com.au
Lee-Anne fell in love with ceramics in about 1989 when she made a terracotta vase in high school. She declared then, at around the age of 13, that when she retires she wants to take up pottery.
It seems she couldn't wait that long!
Then, in 2014, around 38, under the tuition of local Tasmanian potter Jude Maisch, Lee-Anne explored pottery again as a hobby. She studied with Jude for twelve months and then felt ready to create more seriously from home. Lee-Anne invested in a small Tetlow electric kiln and spent almost five years working with earthenware clay, and seeing what her imagination could create.
During those five years Lee-Anne's work went from strength to strength as she explored the clay material and glaze effects.
Then, in March 2019, when Lee-Anne was 42, her workshop burned down with her kilns, glazes, tools and creations perishing.
During this devastating time Lee-Anne questioned how ceramics would fit into her future - would it fit at all? She tossed around options, and then settled on the idea that if she couldn't live without ceramics (which she thus decided) - then it was time for her to start producing more seriously.
It was this turn of events, which stopped Lee-Anne's small-scale earthenware hobby producing, and morphed it into something new!
In April 2019 Lee-Anne spent a week with visiting world-renowned potter Sergei Isupov to learn porcelain hand-building and decorating techniques. This sealed the deal for Lee-Anne, who decided she wanted to work with high-fire ware (like porcelain and stoneware) and invest in a larger kiln which can high-fire. She was inspired.
Lee-Anne began a rebuilding dedication - to save funds, and pursue the step by step building of her new workshop space.
This website is a result of this rebuild.
Lee-Anne spent the almost 9 months of rebuilding time becoming familiar with porcelain and building many pieces for testing once her kiln was hooked up to electricity.
Then on the 5th of January 2020 - a whisker over 300 days since the fire - this website was launched and her first 129 creations released.
During the year of 2020 Lee-Anne danced back and forth with her creations. Focusing on birds of prey and working out how to sculpt tree forms mainly. In the latter part of 2020 Lee-Anne veered away from sculpting in porcelain.
Lee-Anne has made a few spectacular porcelain sculptures. The one she is most proud of is the peregrine falcon with wings outstretched.
In September 2020, Lee-Anne won her second ceramics award from the Tasmanian Ceramics Association - John Watson Award for Humour in Clay for her work called 'I found my new home'.
In mid-2021 feeling unsettled and eager to create for her first solo exhibition, Lee-Anne approached friend Craig Webb, who owns and runs the Raptor Refuge in Kettering, Tasmania. She proposed an exhibition idea to Craig, which he was very eager to support.
From July until December 2021 Lee-Anne spent most of her time making over 100 x pieces for this solo exhibition. It was an exciting and successful experience.
To create for the solo exhibition saw Lee-Anne push deeply out of her comfort zone to make new things she'd never made before - like water fountains, lamps, totem poles and huge sculptures. You can read more about the exhibition process here.
During that busy exhibition focus time Lee-Anne also exhibited in the LightBox at Salamanca Arts Centre for one month, and won her 3rd ceramic award - again for the 'humour in clay award' for her piece 'The mad rooster'. During that time period too Lee-Anne received her first major commission from the 'Country Women's Association' for a large eagle sculpture - which is now permanently on display at Ningana Nursing Home in Sorell, Tasmania.
In May 2022 Lee-Anne had her next solo exhibition at the Wilderness Gallery in Cradle Mountain Tasmania. This was an exceptionally busy time as Lee-Anne and her husband saw an opportunity for them to sell up and move into the country of Tasmania at this same time.
While settling into her new home Lee-Anne enjoyed her first Art Residency at AirSpace in Oatlands for the month of August 2022 - focusing on her Black Swan painting project.
Lee-Anne was fortunate to again win the John Watson's 'humour in clay' award for her 'Gone Cocky' cockatoo jar in August 2023.
In 2023 Lee-Anne had electricity connected to her Art Studio and spent a good portion of the year renovating her Studio and Sculpture Garden ready for its Grand Studio Opening in November 2023.
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In February 2024, Lee-Anne hosted her 2nd major solo exhibition at the Social Gallery in Salamanca Arts Centre, Tasmania, titled: Initiation: into the unknown, featuring around fifty ceramics and visual artworks. This was a huge personal achievement and milestone for Lee-Anne's artistic works.
[Opening Night with guest speaker, Nanna Bayer]
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As of March 2024 Wooby Lane - a glass and fine arts gallery at Salamanca Arts Centre now exclusively stock Lee-Anne's Handfish Jars. Lee-Anne is thrilled to be represented by Wooby Lane and hopes you will visit them in Hobart Tasmania when you're next in the area.
[Handfish Jar, inspired by the Tasmanian Handfish]
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In March 2024, Lee-Anne started the local Campbell Town Arts & Craft Group, and the Arts & Craft Newsletter for the community. Please visit the Group on Facebook to stay updated.
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As of May 2024, a selection of Lee-Anne's ceramic items are now available at The Weaver's Cottages Studio in Oatlands, Tasmania. This is a beautiful shop full of great local art and with history seeping out of the building's bones. Please stop in and visit if you're in the area.
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As an emerging contemporary artist Lee-Anne is inspired to explore various issues and topics that she is interested in through her art. These are in areas connected with; honesty, truth, psychology, spiritual, empowerment, relationships, tradition, healing, perspective, drive, self care, balance and nature. Lee-Anne is interested in texture, sculpture, colour and stretching her imagination.
Keep an eye on Lee-Anne's latest news with her regular blogs here.