Three ceramic artists who use industrial techniques in the production of their pieces and together have more than 150 years of making. The exhibition aims to celebrate the position of these ceramicists who have mastered these techniques, as Heritage Crafts states that Industrial Pottery is now on the Critically Endangered List. Echoing the lightness of the ceramic pieces, Jorge Sarsale’s paper works create an appealing dialogue with the vessels.
Alison Gautrey l Angela Verdon l Sasha Wardell l Jorge Sarsale
Capturing the feeling of movement within the simplicity of form, Alison Gautrey crafts porcelain vessels in a monochrome yet translucent palette. She has developed a new method for spinning porcelain, inspired by contemporary applications of industrial techniques. Alison combines bone china and porcelain together, achieving a fragility whilst exploring the distortions that occur with the materials.
Angela Verdon has worked with bone china clay through a number of residencies, first at the Gladstone Pottery Museum, then later in Japan, the Netherlands and Denmark. These experiences have influenced her work, moving her style from paper thin pierced vessels to greater scale abstract sculptural forms. Angela’s use of light and shade defines her sculptures and their references to architectural and natural forms.
Using industrial processes developed herself, Sasha Wardell works with bone china to create bespoke vases, bowls, lighting and tea ware. Her style combines pure white slip cast bone china with unique decorating and a palette of subtle, muted colour. Each of her pieces is made individually. Sasha is renowned for her teaching and passing on the legacy of industrial techniques to new generations of artists through her workshops for bone china and mould making as well as her books.
Alison, Angela and Sasha have known each other for a number of years and together share more than 150 years of making. Each being a force in their field regardless of changing fashions and trends, they discuss their techniques, practices and works together. This exhibition will be a unique occasion to view the dialogue between the works, the history and the friendship between the artists. Each artist has a distinct style, but this exhibition brings them together in greater conversation.
In dialogue with these works, Jorge Sarsale’s paper works echo the vessels and wall pieces as he uses paper as thin as porcelain, mirroring the effect of clay. Jorge has trained as an architect and uses paper as the dominant material in his works, folding it, shredding or cutting it. His work examines the idea of what is hidden and what is prevalent becomes invisible
