APY Arts Centre
LeShaye Swan — 'Untitled' Sculptural Vessel, 2025
Leshaye paints the Native flora that surrounds Mimili community. She began her ceramics practice in early 2024 and has a natural affinity for the medium, and quickly developed her hand building skills, adapting them to large scale forms. Her ceramics encompass motifs of wildflowers and the native scrublands that surrounds Mimili, notably Bucket Well, a place where her family spent lots of time-sharing culture.
LeShaye was taught about the dreamtime stories around Mimili which these experiences would also later inform her ceramics.
“My works take me back home to Mimili and to all the beautiful things I learnt during my upbringing” — Le Shaye Swan
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LeShaye Swan
Language: Yankunytjatjara
LeShaye was born in Alice Spring in 2001 and is a Yankunytjatjara woman. At the age of one her grandmother, fellow artist Sandra Pumani brought LeShaye to Mimilli, a remote aboriginal community on the APY Lands in South Australia. From the age of one Leshay was raised on country by Sandra and the Pumani family.
LeShaye fondly remembers the elder women taking her out on bush trips whilst Sandra was at work, particularly Milatjari Pumani and Ngupulya Pumani. “We would go out and they would teach me about traditional life”. LeShaye learnt to weave, make punu and hunt for witchetty grubs and other bush medicines. LeShaye was taught about the dreamtime stories around Mimilli, which would later inform her artworks. LeShaye’s colourful ceramic vessels are decorated with plants native to Bucket Well, a homeland not far from Mimili community where she grew up.
LeShaye now resides in Adelaide and works at the APY Art Centre Collective Studio. She is an exceptional emerging ceramicist and is part of the Blak Manta First Nations ceramics collective.
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Shelley Simpson Ceramics Prize 2026
5 September – 3 October
Following the success of last year's prize, Craft is delighted to continue our partnership with Mud Australia to present the Shelley Simpson Ceramics Prize 2026.
The Shelley Simpson Ceramics Prize (SSCP) was established in 2020 by Mud Australia Founder and Creative Director, Shelley Simpson, to support and champion the next generation of Australian ceramicists.
Presented in partnership with Craft Victoria, the annual prize is open to ceramic artists working across functional ware, fine art, handcrafted objects and broader commercial ceramic practices. Alongside a $10,000 cash prize, shortlisted finalists will be exhibited at Craft Victoria as part of a dedicated exhibition celebrating contemporary Australian ceramics.
Read more about the exhibition here:
Materials: Ceramic, unglazed
Dimensions: approx. 59 x 33 x 33cm
Please note when purchasing, exhibition works are to be collected when exhibition closes.
Shipping costs may be estimates. Please feel free to contact shop@craft.org.au who will be available to provide an Art Courier quote or shipping costs for larger items.