Clare Palmer

Her first career was in advertising as an account planner for 10 years, working in London’s creative advertising agencies. There she was developing the advertising strategy for a number of domestic and international client companies.

It is not unusual for people in advertising to leave the business in order to pursue a less commercially orientated creative career. So, in that context her colleagues were not surprised when she left. Friends and family have always been extremely supportive of the switch.

Coming to ceramics relatively late in life the first encounter was when she enrolled on a beginners’ throwing course at Westminster Adult Education Services (WAES) in 2006. It was love at first touch, and ended up with a BTEC Levels 2 & 3 under the fabulous tutelage of Anna Silverton and Craig Fowler. It was Anna who spurred her on to consider pursuing ceramics as a second career – for which she is eternally grateful.

In 2015 she decided to take the plunge and embarked on the 2-year Diploma in Ceramics at City Lit. More eternal gratitude for the inspiring tutors and the phenomenal diversity of knowledge they bathed us in: Annie Turner, Dan Kelly, Robert Cooper, Kate Starkey, Jim Gladwin, Sarah Radstone. Form has always been central to the work. Wouter Dam and Tina Vlassopulos are two of the makers who were early influences going back to WAES time.

The inspiration for the work has always been rooted in the personal. Both strands of work had the same initial start point; which coalesced in the final semester at City Lit. The degree show titled Hidden Within - was an exploration of her experiences of postnatal depression and anxiety; the emotions enveloping her; and the wished-for escape. The techniques of slab-building and wheel-throwing forms to construct with, also originate from this time.

Since recovering from depression, the conceptual start points of her work have evolved, but the overall theme remains the same. The work continues to explore the contradiction between the veneers of order and control we show to the world and the private realities that lie hidden beneath the surface.

The slab-built strand of the work has evolved the most aesthetically and technically since graduating. She started exploring larger-scale, multi-element sculptures when she had a shared studio in the community of Kindred Studios. First starting off as floor-pieces and then evolving to wall-hung work.

Photo above: Large-scale wall sculpture. Glazed stoneware with oxides. Handbuilt.

Top left Breathe5 Unglazed porcelain with oxides. Handbuilt.

Top right - Layers 3. Glazed stoneware. Wheel-thrown, cut and joined.

Bottom - Uncertain. Unglazed porcelain with oxide and glaze detail. Wheel-thrown,

Photo: Valerie Bernardini

Stand at Art in Clay Windsor

Next she is now preparing for the New Ashgate show in which will be on until January. Previously for the Fresh Air 22 show she was given free rein on three large walls. Her process for working has remained the same since college. Capturing potential ideas for pieces in a sketchbook. Often beginning with a written exploration of an emotional experience or state of mind. For her this activity results in a visual impression of the direction a piece will take and a working title. With these, she can start working directly with the clay.

She likes the collaborative nature of working with a gallerist or curator. The discussion about what their vision is for the show, what it is about the work they think will add to this, and then the process of selection and/or making new pieces.

For example - with Thrown Contemporary and Ruup & Form or for Relational Dreams (a group show curated by fellow artist Darshana Vora, at which she exhibited a collection of more overtly conceptual vessels). And then, of course, there are the ceramic fairs like Art in Clay and Celebrating Ceramics. A chance to get up close and personal with the public, and understand how they respond to the work. Fantastic fun, but oh so exhausting she adds.

Financially things can be tough working from London. Studio rents are high. She has been fortunate in being able to convert a spare room into a studio at home, which has helped hugely in balancing the books. The upside of being a tube-ride from inspiration and galleries galore speaks for itself.

www.clarepalmerceramics.com

Instagram: @clarepalmerceramics