Guest post by Ruby Wilson
Humans have long had a relationship with clay. As early as 24,000 BC, animal and human figurines were made from clay and other materials, and then fired in kilns partially dug into the ground. The Greeks created clay pots with narratives painted onto their surfaces, and contemporary ceramicist Rebecca Brown draws from this ancient practice, injecting it with new life.
Brown creates self-proclaimed ‘wobbly’ pieces complete with illustrations inspired by old wives' tales. In her work she combines drawing, painting and printmaking to build narrative on the surface of hand-built ceramics. Tending to expose brush-strokes, fingerprints and marks, her artistic process accentuates the relationship between vessel and narrative.
After studying textile and surface design, Brown was curious about the potential her designs and illustrations could have when combined with ceramics. She ended up making her whole graduate collection from clay and has since fallen in love with the material. Although initially finding it frustrating working with a new material, wanting to run before she could walk as she herself puts it, Brown now treasures the ability her process gives her to combine drawing with new materials.
Brown lives in Sheffield where she is part of the Yorkshire Atrspace Starter Studio programme. Her quirky designs can be interpreted as Modern Greek pottery, telling stories through illustrated vessels. With Brown gaining her inspiration from all kinds of places; from conversations on the bus to literature classics, we are all very excited to see what story she tells with her next creation...
You can find Rebecca Brown's work at the Selvedge Christmas Fair in London, 2 December.