An American-Australian ceramicist residing in Newcastle, Australia, Ali Sobel-Read draws on her nearly 20 years of experience as a studio artist to explore the concepts of place and home in her artwork, often employing photo silk-screen printing to reflect on her surroundings. Her fascination with exploring cityscapes originated in the 1990’s in New York City and has continued ever since.

 

Ali has completed large-scale commissions for clients on three continents. These include tile installations for an American architect as well as custom dish collections for Carleton University in Canada and for a Finnish architecture firm. In 2023, Ali completed bespoke works for The National Trust of New South Wales representing three of their historical properties statewide and has continued to pursue the creation of commissioned collections with The Sydney Jewish Museum through her development of the Dadswell Collection.

 

In 2022, Ali made her foray into the realm of installed public art. Through a City of Newcastle grant, she created a tile mural in Hamilton featuring the beautiful Gregson Park. In her most recent work, Ali features images of iconic Newcastle landmarks. Her brochure, “Bespoke Ceramics”, offers a range of customised branded products featuring images and logos. She is keen to continue exploring the concept of home by creating memories and connections through her ceramics.

 

Articles about Ali and her work have been published in a range of international and local media including “The Newcastle Herald”, “The New Republic”, “Jetstar Magazine” and “500 Prints on Clay: An Inspiring Collection of Image Transfer Work”.  Among other locations, her work can be found at the artist collective, Make Space, as well as at the Newcastle Visitor Information Centre.