Making art has been healing for Aotearoa/New Zealand-born artist Kohl Tyler, whose exhibition of sculptural ceramics is on display this month at Craft Victoria's art gallery in Melbourne CBD.

In an Instagram post, Tyler says the exhibition, titled To Return To, absorbs her fascination with life’s cyclical nature. 

But during the art-making process, the title took on a more personal meaning, as she returned to the studio daily during a challenging phase of life.

“The act of making and informing the clay became healing,” Tyler said.

“It has been a line of inquiry to appreciate being in the moment — and the fact that life is always going to change.”

The exhibition features six works exploring the formation of a spiral, wherein Tyler’s interest in the natural world is expressed through works made out of porcelain clay and stoneware bodies. 

Each vessel varies in tones of white, with some seeping shades of grey. 

The colour palette is intentional, Tyler said, to allow viewers to make their own meaning of the work.

“White is like a blank canvas, like a shell that has come to life but no longer exists.”

To Return To is one of four free exhibitions now on show at Craft Victoria, open until April 26.