Week 2

18/10

Artist talk

Catherine parsonage

Largely very conceptual which isn't relevant to my thinking. But I like her idea of having the small figures which she puts with all her work, to remind herself that making is supposed to be fun, and doesn't have to be too serious. And kind of bring you down to earth.

" I don't want to make work that can't be enjoyed by anybody "

Also, the idea that you should work for yourself not for the market, not to feel pressured to make something glorious. There's no pressure to make finite finished things. Work can endlessly developing from one thing to another.

- helpful advice/insight.

reflection and Feedback

I've been stressed about how to pursue illustration and ceramics because I'm afraid of limiting myself by doing only ceramics. After speaking to Matt, Claire and Andy this week I feel quite a bit better about it. I've realised I am probably being a bit harsh on myself and I need to be more patient with learning to throw. And there are ways I can do illustration and link it to my ceramic work. An idea that Andy gave me was to make tiles, which I can then design patterns for, experiment with textures, carve them imprint on them etc. I realised it doesn't have to be a daunting task of illustrating on mugs immediately- that is something I can build up to. I'll start out by experimenting with tiles, and then I can later develop and translate a design to a bowl or a mug etc.

I went to see the film "French Dispatch" by Wes Anderson, which was intriguing. I really liked the style of the illustrations they used in the credits. Also, the cinematography was interesting, as expected; the way Anderson would pick key moments to switch from black and white to colour, I found really clever. And the sections which were animated enhanced the lighthearted element of the film and enhanced the comedic value of it in a playful way. The soundtrack of the film was beautiful as well. every detail is so well thought through, the sets and the costume, the colour palettes of the scenes were great. I especially appreciated the section of the film about the artist. His abstract, expressive style of expressing his love for the prison guard was captivating. he could have painted her photo-realistically, but this way it's more powerful- it's also expressing feeling. I struggle with my desire for perfection whenever I make something, and while that's not inherently bad, I do think it also limits me. Things like this are a nice reminder that I don't have to make perfect things, that often the imperfect things are sort of better

Maybe it's not directly relevant to my practice, but certain things about the film stuck with me, and as artists, we are consciously or unconsciously influenced by all of the culture and experiences we have in life. So, I wanted to mention the things I took away from it.

Artists combining illustration and ceramics

Molly Lambourn

Lambourn takes a lot of inspiration from literature and her practice focuses heavily on drawing whether that be for children's books or ceramic objects. Her work counteracts stereotypical images of femininity and womanhood. It defiantly reminds me of folklore-esque illustration styles.

Her ceramic tea sets I find the most interesting. At first glance it's reminiscent of the traditional blue and white Chinese ceramics we're all extremely familiar with, because of the fine detailed drawing and almost monochrome nature of her work. But on closer inspection it's something else entirely, they're telling a story, or giving us a message though illustration as well as words. I like how it's kind of her own modern version of this ancient practice. And it reminded me that people have been illustrating on ceramics since 8th century AD, or even before then; it's made me realise how silly I was for thinking I couldn't combine the two mediums. If anything it's almost natural to be practicing both. When you look at the ancient civilisations, and think back to numerous collections of ancient artefacts at museums like the British Museum or Natural History; ancient Egyptians, Romans, ancient Greeks, the Incas etc, all these civilisations illustrated ceramic objects, decoratively or with stories and descriptions. People have been doing this since the beginning, since the first ceramics ever made by man.

Kate Aimers

"... as a mindful creator I want to bring that feeling to you when you purchase my pieces. From using a bespoke mug for your morning coffee or a small trinket dish to house your favourite jewellery, I want my pieces to weave themselves into your daily rituals to bring a sense of calm, joy and functionality. "- this is the same reason I make function-ware.

A very different style of work to Lambourn and a very different interpretation of illustrating on ceramics. It's a lot more graphic, which I like.

She doesn't limit herself to one medium. Selling prints, stickers, cards etc. featuring her designs, as well as her mugs and bowls.

Grow and Bloom Studios

look at this further later: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-origins-of-chinese-pottery-an-ancient-art/https://theartling.com/en/artzine/contemporary-ceramic-artists/

Glaze recipes I've found recently that I like the look of :

Mug Making Process

I tried out a few different handle shapes, and I'm really pleased with my rectangular shaped one. It feels contemporary and modern, as well as unusual, which I really like. You expect handles to be curved so it's surprising and I like how over-sized it is, it sort of off-sets the mug which is a very plain big, bolsterous shape.

I have a Pinterest board where I find inspiration for my work.

My Board

Some pieces I saved for textural inspiration.