Retail Showcase
Deborah J Davis / Leila Hodgson / Oliver James / Tina Morgan / Maz Weston
Our first “In the Window” retail showcase highlights the exceptional work of five recent graduates from the MA Creative Professional Practitioner program at Wrexham University.
Each artist has developed their ideas, creativity, vision, and craftsmanship, whilst pursuing their MA. This retail exhibition is a unique chance to support and invest in pieces produced by talented emerging artists and makers at the outset of their professional careers.
Artist profiles and statements
Deborah J Davis
Deborah’s work is influenced by the environment, spaces occupied by humans, journeys through life and how they alter the landscape. The natural and built world are of equal importance, our surroundings having as much impact on us as we have on them. The paths we choose to follow and the paths we choose to carve, the speed with which we travel, shape us and our environment. Sharp geometric lines and repetition of similar forms suggest the modern architecture that exists in cities globally, while the surfaces are textured in a more organic, intuitive way. Maps, land formation, excavation, scarification, fossils, and the treasures found beneath the Earth’s surface are all considered as the leather hard stoneware clay is impressed, carved into, and decorated using a variety of organic and human-made tools.
Deborah hand builds her individual forms from slabs of leather-hard, white firing stoneware clay which can then go through several different processes and firings to achieve something akin to the envisaged results. There is always risk involved when firing work, and this randomness allows for the elements to play a part in the final finish. The factor of chance reflects how our goals in life are all malleable as we adapt to change and the unpredictability of life. Sometimes we are wonderfully surprised by the alchemical results, sometimes disappointed when expectations are not met. The goal is not to hold on too rigidly to expectations. This is life. The making process for Deborah is slow, methodical, and meditative, the colour palette for this body of work is intended to reflect this and evoke a sense of calm in a world full of distractions. The surface textures and decoration are an exploration of Deborah’s own life and journey toward healing and rediscovering self in a human world of division, illusion, and confusion.
Leila Hodgson
The work by Leila has been inspired by the details seen in nature when observed closely. This practice first developed for her during lockdown and in this series of work has been inspired by beetles, in particular their forms, colours and textures. The ceramic work features a wide variety of surface textures which is something that Leila finds particularly appealing and the textures used are reminiscent of those seen on various species of beetles from around the world. The style of work produced is largely influenced by the colourful folk art from countries such as Mexico and Africa.
For this series of work Leila has focused on producing a variety of beetle inspired figures and vessels. This idea came about as the beetle’s bodies are segmented and when Leila started to recreate them in clay they became individual characters that lent themselves to being made into these forms. Scale has been explored with the pieces ranging in size and this lends itself to the feeling of family groups. Looking at beetles in close detail has provided Leila with a huge amount of inspiration to draw upon and this combined with colourful folk-art influences has resulted in a collection of individual and eye-catching pieces.
Maz Weston
I am a mixed media artist, specialising in ceramic porcelain paper clay. My work is informed by countryside and coastal walks and inspired by nature and the uncontrollable, relentless passage of time. “Doesn’t everything die at last and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? My interpretation of this collection attempts to highlight the often-hidden contrasting elements of fragility and strength within all living elements including ourselves. A central theme is exposing beauty in demise.
This edition of ceramic artwork has developed from my deep fascination with memory and the found object. In this case leaf structures. Skeletal leaves hold memories of walks particularly, and landscape. Captured too is the surprise of how extremely beautiful the skeletal structures become in their departure from life for me, seashells. pebbles and feathers have the same found treasure and memory element. The title is inspired by the poet. Mary Oliver The Summer Day’ The medium of white porcelain liquid paper clay is hand-made. The technique I use involves hand building using slip trailing. Some pieces are burnouts. a method of burning non-toxic cotton fiber and paper. The finished pieces are fired to a kiln temperature of 1280 C (2336’F) using oxidation firing. Once fired the appearance alters to show a contrast of opaqueness and translucence. Emphasizing the strength and fragility of the structure and the risk of fragmentation. Likening it to our own usually hidden, skeletal structures as time passes. The open weave of the artwork enhances the layers and depth of the pieces, trapping space, allowing the visible elements of both light and shadow. The viewer will interpret each piece in their own inimitable way making each piece not only unique to look at but unique to the onlooker too.
Oliver James
Oliver utilizes colour, playfulness and humour within his ceramic work. He admires beauty and is inspired by nature, mythology, historical characters, and architectural features. He likes to bring joy to his work through the use of colour representing optimism and positivity. His work is based around his illustrations on flora, fauna, and caricatures. He enjoys representing facial expressions, a sense of humour that can be projected in his clay pieces with attention to detail that makes a difference. He prefers to create pieces with beauty and style but functional always considering proportions and size. Oliver represents his illustrations in his pieces creating a fusion of historical and contemporary styles. The pieces are hand built and made from terracotta and stoneware clay, layered with coloured slip, and utilizing the sgraffito technique. His work combines function and decoration to create pieces for interior use.
Tina Morgan
I am a mixed media designer maker based in North Wales and specialize in the creation of unique jewellery and decorative ceramics. I am inspired by nature and natural/manmade objects including mermaid’s purses, shells, pebbles and waste plastic collected on my walks on the North Wales coast. Each piece of jewellery is intended to ignite the feeling of excitement at finding treasure. The constantly changing Welsh weather and its effect on the surrounding landscape are reflected in the textures of many of my pieces. I use slip casting and hand building techniques to create my porcelain and earthstone pieces. Metal detailing is added to my ceramics using lost wax casting techniques to create decorative pieces and wearable art.