If you go down to the bottom of Paula Greenway's garden in Toodyay you'll find not only fairies, but witches, dragons, gargoyles, gnomes and many other fantasy creatures. These whimsical pottery garden sculptures, which have a classic timelessness about them, are the product of Paula's vivid imagination and love of the earth.
One of Paula's whimsical pottery garden sculptures
"I design for the garden because there are no rules in the garden," Paula says. "I like making things that do something so I design movement into my sculptures using light, smoke and water."
Two of Paula's most popular creations, Smoking Dragons and Tooday Smoking Swagmen, have been designed for use with Paula's own range of essential oil insect repellent cones or a mosquito coil. When cones or coils are placed beneath these cute terracotta creations, smoke comes out of their nostrils (dragons) or pipe (swagmen).
Toodyay Smoking Swagmen
Each piece is unique because it is individually sculptured from local clay. For example, although her Earth Fairies look as though they come from the same family, they all have different expressions.
The Earth Fairies all have different expressions
Paula works from her Earth Sculptures studio set on a six acre bush block among gum trees and olive groves. Her husband, Mark, is responsible for the firing of each piece of art along with maintaining and improving the property, and has recently built a fully self-contained chalet next to the studio. The chalet is available for short term rentals, so if you want to escape the city for a few days this beautiful, quiet retreat could fit the bill. Why not combine it with a pottery workshop while you're there?
Paula offers pottery workshops
Paula holds individually tailored one day or weekend workshops where she works with participants to help them create their very own pottery masterpiece. Both traditional and inspired techniques are taught and students have the opportunity to try different styles before deciding what to make and which technique to use. Workshops cater for groups of two to five people and bookings are essential. The cost is $150 per person, which includes morning tea, a six hour workshop, clay, tools and firing.
So how do you get your hands on an Earth Sculpture? There are several ways:
1. You can visit Paula's studio and buy her work during opening hours. These are usually 10.30am to 4pm Thursday to Monday, but ring before you set off to confirm someone will be around. At other times you may be able to visit by appointment.
2. Paula has a regular stall at the Kalamunda Markets, which are held on the first Saturday of every month.
3. Every spring Paula organises an annual craft market on her property called 'Montage in the Garden'.
Go on - introduce a little fantasy into your garden!
Go on - introduce a little fantasy into your garden!
