Transience: Fragility and Timelessness

Transience

This body of work is divided into 2 categories: Timelessness and Fragility. They are influenced by my asian background and philosophies. These projects are based on my fascination with, and interest in beautiful artefacts of the ancient world in particular, as well as the transience of nature in general. I like travelling and spend time in museums all around the world, being inspired by the craftsmanship of ancient objects.

In this collection of work I have used various techniques and surface decoration to create the illusion of age and decay through the passage of time. I have made my own glazes from raw materials found within my local surroundings and the body of some of these pieces are made from the clay I reclaimed form the soil in my garden. In using the same methods and materials as the ancient masters and manipulating the medium in this way it gives me a unique perspective and insight into the world of the forgotten craftsman of a bygone age. I can therefore appreciate and feel connected to these craftsmen/artists in the process of making my art. In effect I am breathing new life into the past by creating seemingly ancient forms and giving the illusion of timelessness by bringing these decaying relics to sit and be admired in a 21st century setting, having acquired a contemporary twist.

Given the above, it may seem paradoxical that the work is mostly contemporary. The forms of antiquity that I create could be seen as once adored objects in temples of an opulent time, now unearthed from archaeological sites or retrieved from the seabed. I work largely in stoneware and porcelain and the articles I make are transformed into contemporary pieces through a process of design and surface decoration. In this manner, I use clay to convey to my audience the message to be contemplated, which is the illusion of the immortalization of beauty. The reality however is of course the opposite and I am only too aware of the fragility of life and the impermanence of nature and matter. Whilst there is beauty in matter, it is transient, you mustn't be deceived or deny the gradual and eventual process of decay that is inevitable. This concept of impermanence is also what I hope to convey through my art.

Fragility

These pieces are made from stoneware and porcelain clay decorated with metal oxides and gold. They relate to the fragility and vulnerability of all things which are subject to the laws of nature.

They came from the earth and will eventually return to the earth but in the intervening time they are transformed into non-functional works of art.

Timelessness

Some of these stoneware pieces are made directly from the reclaimed clay soil in my garden, the glaze made from ash and mud from my immediate environment. I believe the old master potters would have worked with the materials they had to hand also. In this sense the process is timeless and I can connect with the craftsman of the past.

I have also created what I hope are artefacts that would probably have been around as functional pieces in the ancient world but can now sit equally comfortably in a 21st century surroundings. Although there is continual change with time, paradoxically there is also an element of timelessness.