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"We saw the whole of the universe mirrored within the form"
Tetsuyuki Hirano, for selection
committee. International Grande Prix Winner. International
Crafts Festival. Toyama. Japan
My vessels or sculptures stem from my fascination with
natural form, in both content and source. Like waves making
patterns on the sand, each piece is unknown and largely unplanned.
I work with a strong idea of the quality of the piece in hand,
attempting to make the work as vivid and powerful as the creative
process. Unseen and powerful energy forces have shaped our
landscape over time; as I work with the immediacy of clay
and its subsequent process I intuitively try to tap into that
process.
It is the sense of the quality or spirit which can transcend
the actual piece that I am looking for. I am a long-term practitioner
of T¹ai Chi Chuan, and its underlying philosophy increasingly
informs my work.
Structure, texture and surface pattern within the clay are
derived from a variety of methods and processes. I fuse together
different colours and textures of clay; into these I inlay
porcelains and coloured clays. This is then painted with coloured
slips and later oxides and body stains. This gives me the
language of texture to create the form.
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Technical and aesthetic skill and judgement are essential,
providing a framework within which to base my working
process. My materials are from nature, and the ceramic
process is one of transformation of clay by fire. I
fire mostly with gas to 1250*C, and the aim is to show
the action of the flame (particularly a reducing flame)
and combustion on raw materials. I use glazes made from
locally gathered and prepared wood ash.
My studio is a stone and glass building, converted
from an ancient cowshed and dairy. It nestles comfortabley
in the foothills of the Preselli mountains, several
acres of organic fields, woods and garden. It provides
a haven and resource for my personal work.
My work has been shown widely in Britain, and in 1992
awarded the International Grande Prix in Japan. In November
1994 I visited Australia, and back to Japan in March
1995, where I worked at Onta Pottery. In August 96 I
was invited to IRIS5 Ceramics Seminar, Finland to represent
Wales. Recent solo shows include Denbigh Museum &
Library. This summer I will be exhbiting at Workshop
Wales in Go West.
I am a part time lecturer in Ceramics on the BA Ceramics
Course at Swansea Institute. The recently formed Women
in Art & Craft Network have elected me as Chairperson.
I also work within a public and community art context,
on sculptures and ceramic murals, directing residencies,
commissions and school projects
You can buy a selection of my work on-line at the Best
of Rural Wales web site
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