Alex Linden (b. 1978)
Alex Linden is a single mum working from her home studio in Aldinga. She works predominantly with clay in both functional and sculptural forms. And to a lesser extent charcoal, ink and oils with portraiture and still life.
Linden loves to make practical, useful, ceramic objects. But her real passion and inspiration comes from the innate, curious and beautiful qualities that lie in the people and forms in our natural and immediate world. Through this Linden has recently discovered sculptural portraiture and has fallen in love.
Commissions from 2012 onward have included illustrations and paintings for wine labels, portraits, and more recently, hand etched ceramic kitchenware.
From teacher to marketing professional to artist
Linden studied art extensively for 6yrs – ceramics, painting and drawing. With the subject centered around human beauty and practical needs. Then, influenced by her family and the need to earn regular income, Linden left art behind and completed a post graduate Bachelor of Education and hit the workforce.
Fast-forward six years and Linden experienced a life-threatening pregnancy which was followed by a few years in and out of hospitals. And then, later, a divorce. This led her to pursue a less stressful profession and she begun working in marketing and communications in the wine industry. This enabled a series of commissions in wine label and affiliated design.
A decade on and another life-threatening situation led Linden to question her purpose. For almost 20 years she had felt like she had been ‘winging it’ in every career, unsure of what she truly wanted or was capable of doing to earn a living. Then by divine intervention clay found its way into her hands again and an obsessive love affair was reborn.
“My work as it turns out is a good reflection of me,” says Linden. “Quite practical, a little bit conservative, refined and delicate when required, loose and organic when the need arises and no detail or angle is left unconsidered.”
Alex Linden
Linden often makes objects she would like to have or need in her own house, which was the inception of Lindenhaus functional art-ware. On the other hand, she needs to sometimes ‘let go’ and create something with no purpose other than interest or beauty, or to further understand the medium. This has resulted in larger format decorative and sculptural vessels. And her recently discovered greatest love of all, sculptural portraiture or bust building.
In mid-2022 Linden took the plunge of putting herself and her work out there. Her work can be found at Fleurieu Arthouse and Willunga General Store, and an online store will be available soon. Keep an eye on her social media for upcoming exhibitions.
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