Clare Conrad
My stoneware pots are distinctive for the painterly exploration of colour and texture. Forms are wheel-thrown, sometimes altered, in a T-material clay mix. I began experimenting with my decoration technique in 1985 whilst studying ceramics at the University of the West of England - when the college trip to Venice inspired the attempt to reproduce the peeling walls in Venice. Layers of vitreous slips are applied to the exterior surface, while it is still damp - these are mixed from raw materials with the three primary stains, then intermixed to give an infinite palette.The result is a rugged, but refined texture, which contrasts with the smooth, matt interior. Artistic inspiration comes from the effects of light and weathering on architecture and artefacts, together with dramatic land and seascape.
Since graduating in 1987, I have exhibited widely throughout the UK and abroad.
