The Dichotomy of Calm and Chaos
There is a beautiful dichotomy of carefully creating a smooth, blank canvas of clay, and then giving away any control of the finish to the whims of the kiln firing. You are setting up all the right conditions for pattern and colour to emerge within the saggar. Depending on how the materials change, how the wire twists and moves against the clay, or the different coloured fumes combine, the results will always be unknown.
This year I´ve become drawn to exploring warmer, more fiery colouring, reminiscent of the summer´s heatwaves and wildfires.
The resulting work shows peaceful calm, alongside disorganised, scorched earth vistas.
Please click on images to view
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 20 cm x 20 cm x 2.5 cm at Cahir Arts Gallery, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 37 cm x 37 cm x 3.5 cm, 28.5 cm x 28. 5 cm x 3.5 cm, 19 cm x 19 cm x 2 cm at the Lavit Gallery, Cork, Ireland
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 36 cm x 36 cm x 3.5 cm at Cahir Arts Gallery, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 31 cm x 31 cm x 3.5 cm at Cahir Arts Gallery, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
Large Wall Disc Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 38 cm x 38 cm x 2 cm at the 141st Royal Ulster Academy of Arts Exhibition at Ulster Museum, Belfast, Ireland until January 9 2023
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 18 cm x 18 cm x 2.5 cm at Cahir Arts Gallery, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 39 cm x 39 cm x 3.5 cm at Lavit Gallery, Cork, Ireland
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 17 .5 cm x 17.5 cm x 2 cm at Cahir Arts Gallery, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
Large Wall Disc, Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 34 cm x 34 cm x 3.5 cm at Cahir Arts Gallery, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
Set of 2 Wall Discs, Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 27 cm x 27 cm x 3 cm, 20 cm x 20 cm x 3 cm at Lavit Gallery, Cork, Ireland
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires & oxides (H) x (L) x (W) 30 cm x 30 cm x 3.5 cm At the Blue Egg Gallery, Wexford, Ireland
Large Wall Disc, Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 37cm x 37 cm x 2 cm at the Lavit Gallery, Cork, Ireland
Wall Disc Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 26.5 cm x 26.5 cm x 2 cm
Wall Disc Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 19 cm x 19 cm x 2 cm
Large Wall Disc, Thrown & Saggar Fired with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 38.5 cm x 38.5 cm x 2 cm
Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 27 cm x 27 cm x 2 cm
Wall Disc Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 33 cm x 33 cm x 2 cm
White Stoneware Clay Thrown & Saggar Fired with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 39.5 cm x 39.5 x 2 cm
Large Wall Disc, Thrown & Saggar Fired, with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 38 cm x 38 cm x 2 cm
Wall Disc, Thrown & Saggar Fired with West Cork sawdust, seaweeds, recycled wires and Oxides 28 cm x 28 cm x 2 cm