UNLEASHED+ 2026
HOTA, Home of the Arts | 1 Aug - 8 Nov
Discover Queensland's next generation of makers
Ben Adams | Céline Caron | Gabi Harris | Jacqueline Kaytar | Jude Muduioa | Julia Bramich |
Michelle Le Plastrier | Petalia Humphreys | Rachel North | Rhiannon Sothern | Tom Summers | William MacLean
+
artisan in Residence Alumni
Rick Hayward | Norton Fredericks | Natalie Ward | Erin Conron | Regi Cherini
For more than 20 years, UNLEASHED has championed the artists and designers shaping the future of contemporary craft in Queensland. This year, artisan's flagship biennial enters an exciting new chapter as UNLEASHED+ makes its debut at HOTA, Home of the Arts, bringing together an exceptional new generation of makers alongside the inaugural artisan in Residence alumni.
Join us for the opening celebrations!
Be among the first to experience UNLEASHED+ at HOTA Gallery on Saturday 1 August. Meet the exhibiting artists and artisan in Residence alumni, enjoy artist talks, workshops and special events, and discover the ideas, materials and makers shaping the future of Queensland contemporary craft and design.
HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Exhibition Catalogue
Learn more about the artworks through our online exhibition catalogue here:
During the exhibition at HOTA Gallery Studio...
Opening 1 August – 8 November 2026 in Gallery 4 at HOTA, UNLEASHED+ has two chapters charting important stages of creative career development – emergence and evolution. The first chapter showcases 12 outstanding practitioners working across jewellery, ceramics, furniture, lighting and object design. Their work ranges from intimate wearable pieces to architecturally scaled furniture and sculptural objects, revealing the breadth, originality and ambition of Queensland's contemporary craft and design community.
This year's exhibiting artists are Ben Adams, Julia Bramich, Céline Caron, Gabi Harris, Petalia Humphreys, Jacqueline Kaytar, Michelle Le Plastrier, William MacLean, Jude Muduioa, Rachel North, Rhiannon Sothern and Tom Summers.
The second chapter of UNLEASHED+ is Personal Languages, which features new work by artisan's inaugural artisan in Residence alumni – Regi Cherini, Erin Conron, Norton Fredericks, Rick Hayward and Natalie Ward. Developed through residencies centred on experimentation rather than prescribed outcomes, the exhibition celebrates the confidence, curiosity and creative growth that come from giving artists the time and space to explore new ideas.
For artisan CEO Carmel Haugh, the expanded edition of UNLEASHED+ is about creating opportunities that extend well beyond the gallery.
“Queensland produces some of Australia's most exciting contemporary makers, and talent is just part of the equation. Artists need visibility, opportunity and ambitious platforms that connect them with collectors, curators and new audiences. Presenting UNLEASHED+ with HOTA gives these makers the profile their work deserves while demonstrating the strength and confidence of contemporary craft and design in Queensland.”
Together, the artists' stories reveal why UNLEASHED+ is more than an exhibition. It's a moment of recognition, visibility and connection that can transform a creative career.
For ceramic artist Céline Caron, the exhibition represents years of quiet dedication coming into public view.
“For me, UNLEASHED+ marks the moment when something I've been developing privately in my studio becomes something shared with the public. As a self-taught ceramic artist, it feels like a real reward for building my craft alone, without formal training. It matters even more because ceramics is a true passion.” — Céline Caron
Furniture and object designer Tom Summers sees UNLEASHED+'s debut at HOTA as an important milestone not only for the artists, but for contemporary craft itself.
“Presenting it at HOTA feels like a natural next step because it places craft and design within a major arts institution, alongside other forms of contemporary art. I think that helps broader audiences see these more craft based practices as serious artistic work with genuine cultural value.” — Tom Summers
For artisan in Residence alumnus Natalie Ward, exhibiting at HOTA provides a national platform to share stories deeply rooted in the landscapes and industries of regional Queensland.
“As an emerging artist, this is an incredible opportunity to be able to exhibit in a large and prestigious gallery. I am really proud of this body of work I am showing, which is a reflection on the difficult relationship between mining and ceramics practices, and is created using the waste products and byproducts of mining local to me in North Queensland. My processes and materials are very tied to the local geology of my region, and being able to exhibit this in an urban setting is a powerful way for me to tell some of the complicated stories of a region and an arts practice that is so intrinsically tied to the mining industry.” — Natalie Ward
Whether you've followed UNLEASHED from the beginning, collect contemporary craft, commission makers or simply love discovering exceptional creative talent, this is your opportunity to experience Queensland's next generation of makers at the beginning of their journey.
UNLEASHED+ 2026 Finalists
artisan in Residence Alumni 2024-25
Image credits
Photo of Ben Adams, 2026. Photo: Bryony Dux. Image courtesy of Ben Adams Studio.
Blackwood Seat, 2024, Ben Adams Studio. Tasmanian Blackwood, Victorian Ash. 2000 x 500 x 750mm. Photo: Bryony Dux. Image courtesy of Ben Adams.
Photo of Céline Caron, 2024. Photography by and image courtesy of Céline Caron.
Baby Boy, 2025, Céline Caron. Glazed terracotta, underglaze, oxides and pigments, 370 x 210 x 210mm, Photography by and image courtesy of Céline Caron.
Photo of Gabi Harris, 2026. Photo: Paul Harris. Image courtesy of Gabi Harris.
Fragility: At the Edge of Flight. Oxidised copper. Dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Gabi Harris.
Photo of Jacquline Kaytar, 2025. Photo: Oscar Nicholson. Image courtesy of Jacqueline Kaytar.
Bark Side Table, 2025, Studio Kaytar. Sandcast Aluminium. 470 x 350 x 300mm. Photo and image courtesy of Jacqueline Kaytar.
Photo of Jude Muduioa, 2025. Photo: Kylie Johnson. Image courtesy of Jude Muduioa.
Triadic Resonance 2.0, 2025, Jude Muduioa. Ceramic, recycled clay, ash deposits glaze, wood fired 100 hours. 500 x 400 x 50mm. Photo and image courtesy of Jude Muduioa.
Photo of Julia Bramich with her ceramic artwork Bulb Vessel in Wonglepong, 2024. Photo: Sabine Bannard (the_conceptofhome). Image courtesy of Julia Bramich.
Sisters, 2026, Julia Bramich Ceramics. Porcelain. Dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Julia Bramich.
Photo of Michelle Le Plastrier, 2023. Photo: Ellamay Fitzgerald. Image courtesy of Michelle Le Plastrier.
2080 Teenagers Bedroom Edition, 2024, Michelle Le Plastrier. Stoneware, glaze, underglaze, epoxy resin compound. 280 x 250 x 320mm. Image courtesy of Michelle Le Plastrier.
Photo of Petalia Humphreys, 2026. Photo: Danielle O'Brien. Image courtesy of Petalia Humphreys.
EPLC deconstructed series #4 (detail), 2025, Petalia Humphreys. Low sheen interior/exterior acrylic (Almost Smitten, Mint Pea and Quarter Pearl Lusta) on plywood. Dimensions variable. Photo by and image courtesy of Petalia Humphreys.
Photo of Rachel North. Photo: Jo Hammond. Image courtesy of Rachel North.
memory's shroud, 2024-25. Glazed and unglazed stoneware and porcelain with natural beeswax. Dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Rachel North.
Photo of Rhiannon Sothern, 2025. Photo: Annie Noon. Image courtesy of Rhia Jewellery.
Coral Bleaching Collars, 2025. Porcelain / Glaze / Sterling Silver. 150 x 365 x 50mm. Photo by and image courtesy of Rhia Jewellery.
Photo of Tom Summers, 2026. Photo by and image courtesy of Tom Summers.
Likeness, 2026, Tom Summers. Stained Porcelain + Mild Steel. 170 x 210 x 80mm. Photo by and image courtesy of Tom Summers.
Photo of William MacLean, 2023. Photo: Caitlin Low. Image courtesy of Willo Wares Design.
Geometric Box, 2026, Willo Wares Design. Jacaranda, Ironbark and wood dye. 95 x 95 x 105mm. Photo by and image courtesy of Willo Wares Design.
Photo of Regi Cherini, 2024. Photo by and image courtesy of Regi Cherini.
Servo Swag (on paisley), 2024, Regi Cherini. Embroidery floss on cotton. 34.5 x 34.5cm (framed). Image courtesy of Regi Cherini.
Photo of Erin Conron at Canberra Glassworks Hotshop during 2024 artisan in Residence for Established Glass Artists, 2024. Photo by Brooke McEachern, Canberra Glassworks. Image courtesy of Erin Conron.
Parallax Series, Large Low Sphere #1, 2024, Erin Conron. Blown and kiln fired glass with applied enamel. 360 x 360 x 180mm. Image courtesy of Erin Conron.
Photo of Norton Fredericks, 2025. Image courtesy of Retritus.
Casting Hope, 2025, Norton Fredericks. Bronze. 290 x 350 x 200mm. Image courtesy of Retritus.
Photo of Natalie Ward, 2025. Image courtesy of Natalie Ward.
artisan in Residence 2025 outcome collection, 2025, Natalie Ward. Ceramics. Image courtesy of Natalie Ward.
Photo of Rick Hayward at JamFactory during 2025 artisan in Residence for Established Furniture Designer, 2025. Photo by Connor Patterson, JamFactory. Image courtesy of Rick Hayward.
Tall Cabinet, 2025, Rick Hayward. Timber. 1500 x 400 x 300mm. Photo by Connor Patterson, JamFactory. Image courtesy of Rick Hayward.
