   |
|||||||||||
 |
|
After studying for two years at the Harris School of Art in Preston I went on to specialize in sculpture at Manchester Regional College of Art & Design for a further three years graduating with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Sculpture. I have since worked as a freelance sculptor undertaking commissions of figurative work for both private clients and for companies such as Royal Doulton and Heredities in the UK and Franklin Mint in the US. During my time at college I gained experience working with many different materials: wood, steel, fibreglass and resin, and concrete. I now enjoy working almost exclusively in clay – the responsive nature of clay allows the sculpture to evolve as the idea develops. An interest in the human form, both male and female, provides a constant stimulus in my work often conveying a reflective mood. Aspects of ‘the human condition’ are a frequent feature running through many of my pieces in the form of metaphors. Isolation, human diversions and symbolic barriers are recurring themes sometimes explored in a playful or quirky way. When creating ceramic sculptures it is necessary to hollow out the piece so that gases and any residual moisture can escape during firing. This involves cutting the piece in half and scooping out the clay to leave a thickness of around ½ to ¾ inch. An alternative method is to make a mould of the piece which can then be cast hollow. This is much more time consuming but does mean that if the firing is not successful, all is not lost and another piece can be cast. My husband Chris Williams, also a sculptor, cuts my sculpture into several sections making a plaster mould of each. We press clay into the moulds and I reassemble it then continue to work on the piece. This means that each sculpture in the limited edition is unique. When finished it is allowed to dry slowly before being fired in the kiln to 1250 degrees. The smaller one-off ceramic pieces I create are fired without the necessity of hollowing out first. Some of these sculptures incorporate wood which, when possible, comes from trees grown in our garden. Exhibitions 2010 Cheshire Open Studios Exhibition Exhibitions 2011 RBSA Open |
 |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
