Eleanor Wickens is an emerging ceramics artist based in the lower Blue Mountains,NSW. Her practice derives from her love of history and literature where she uses traditional methods of wheel throwing and handbuilding techniques. Wickens looks to create objects that the audience are able to recognise instantly whilst also providing an aspect of surprise and intrigue. Graduating from the National Art school in 2024 with a major in Ceramics, her most recent body of work surrounded the contemporary issue of food wastage and gluttony and how these issues can be traced back to the time before Modernism, specifically referring to the effects of famine sparking the overthrow of the French monarchy in 1789.

Wickens also explores in her work the concept of the paper tiger theory – where an object looks seemingly innocent but holds the ability to be dangerous. She wishes to remove the prejudice surrounding how being feminine means being delicate in her work by juxtaposing objects that are stereotypically feminine within settings that are typically masculine.

Wickens has entered the Sydney Royal Easter Show, winning first prize in 2021, second prize in 2022 and third prize in 2023 for the under-21s category in Ceramics. She has also exhibited in small locally-run exhibitions while she was still in High school at Penrith Regional Gallery and the Lewers’ Bequest and during her tenure at NAS in the Stairwell Gallery on campus.