Feather I, 2017
kiln-formed glass wall panel W58 x D0.6 cms ÂŁ825
4 - 28 October 2017
Ornament features an installation of Claudia Rankin’s highly coloured sculptures and functional ware; creating a charming, imagined world. Sculptural figures and animals stand alongside slip-cast vessels, press moulded platters and a table laden with candlesticks, caddies and bowls. Uniting these objects is Claudia’s unique cast of expressive animals; none too sweet and conventional but all full of humour. The fact that ornament describes both an object and its decoration appeals to Claudia Rankin’s sense of playfulness. In furnishing The Gallery with a display of her newest ceramics she is drawing us into her world of character, pattern and colour. In a nutshell, she summarises by saying, ‘I find that I yearn to make things that people like to live with.’
Claudia Rankin lives and works in Northumberland. Growing up in London, she spent many afternoons as a child exploring the textile and ceramic collections within the Victoria & Albert Museum. This led her to have an enduring love of colour, motif, pattern and historical narratives; all of which are encapsulated within her work. Following a Foundation year at Wimbledon School of Art, Rankin studied Fine Art at Canterbury College of Art (1984-1987), before completing an MA in Sculpture at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (1987-1989). Her first love at art college was casting in bronze. However, this process became prohibitively time consuming and expensive, so she experimented with other media including textiles & printmaking. Claudia’s developing interest in the decorative arts and object making naturally led her to ceramics, where casting, this time with earthenware clay slip, came to the fore. Her work today uses a variety of handbuilding techniques including casting, press moulding and coiling with clay. The surfaces are richly decorated with underglaze colours. Claudia’s forms, both sculptural and functional, are inspired by her love of collecting ’stuff’, her sitting room mantelpiece is currently home to a diverse ‘still life’ featuring a tatty stuffed tiger toy with illuminated eyes and a pair of very wonky Staffordshire dogs. Shapes, colours and motifs often spring directly from visits to museums abroad and at home including the V&A’s wonderful displays of old English and Middle Eastern pots.
Cat Face & Moth Jar, 2017 slip decorated white faience H48 x W32 x D22 cms ÂŁ860
Stag & Owl Casket, 2017 slip decorated white faience H25 x W26 x D17 cms ÂŁ580
Swan & Mask Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H23 x W15 x D11 cms £500
Peacock Garden Plate, 2017 slip decorated white faience D28 cms ÂŁ160
Blue Bull Platter, 2017 slip decorated white faience H32 x W40.5 cms ÂŁ220
Work in progress in Claudia Rankin’s Northumberland studio, 2017
Parrot & Hungry Bear Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H20 x W12 x D10 cms £550
Left to right: Snake Dish, 2017 slip decorated white faience D11 cms ÂŁ95
Monkey Mask Plate, 2017 slip decorated white faience D23 cms ÂŁ160
Left to right: Monkey Mask Dish, 2017 slip decorated white faience D12 cms £95
Leopard Face Dish, 2017 slip decorated white faience D12 cms £95 Lioness Dish, 2017 slip decorated white faience H12 xW9.5 x D2 cms £95
Her mother’s Oriental antique business on London’s Portobello Road and many afternoons spent exploring the collections within the Victoria & Albert Museum led her to have an enduring love of colour, motif, pattern and historical narratives; all of which are encapsulated within her work. The classic blue and white colouring of Chinese porcelain and the rich yellow and celadon used in Japanese pottery inspire her glazes today. Most recently, the quirky cast of animals depicted on Lisbon’s traditional tilework have been a great source of inspiration for her new ceramics featured in this exhibition.
Canary & Running Tiger Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H24 x W17 x D7 cms £550
Bandit Monkey II, 2017 slip decorated white faience H22 x W10 x D11 cms £550 Tiger Sculpture, 2017 slip decorated white faience H22 x W10 x D10 cms £550
Yellow Elephant Candlestick, 2017 slip decorated white faience H31 x W24 x D14 cms ÂŁ590
Claudia Rankin’s Northumberland studio, 2017
Baddy & Goose Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H24 x W17 x D7 cms £550
Leopard Candlestick, 2017 slip decorated white faience H29 x W22 x D17 cms ÂŁ620
Ox & Portrait Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H22 x W15 x D12 cms £550
Dog & Bird Casket, 2017 slip decorated white faience H25 x W26 x D17 cms ÂŁ580
Sun Face Plate, 2017 slip decorated white faience D31 cms ÂŁ150
Big Bird Platter, 2017 slip decorated white faience D41.5 cms ÂŁ300
Left to right: Indian Flower Plate, 2017 D25 cms, £150
Tiger Plate, 2017 D22 cms, £150 Bee Plate, 2017 H23.5 x D25 cms, £150 Swan Plate, 2017 D24 cms, £150
Claudia Rankin at work in her Northumberland studio, 2017
Tiger Rug & Bird Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H19 x W12 x D12 cms £450
Tiger Rug & Bee Caddy, 2017 slip decorated white faience H23 x W15 x D9 cms £550
Tiger Skin Platter, 2017 slip decorated white faience H33 x W52 cms ÂŁ450
Hungry Bear Sculpture, 2017 slip decorated white faience H29 x W16 x D18 cms £620
Pigeon Garden Platter, 2017 slip decorated white faience H21 x W34.5 cms ÂŁ190 White Greyhound Platter, 2017 slip decorated white faience H21 x W33 cms ÂŁ190
Leopard In The Jungle Platter, 2017 slip decorated white faience H32 x W40 cms ÂŁ220
Published by The Scottish Gallery to coincide with the exhibition: ORNAMENT BY CLAUDIA RANKIN 4 - 28 OCTOBER 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this catalogue may be reproduced in any form by print, photocopy or by any other means, without the permission of the copyright holders and of the publishers. Photography: Peter Atkinson Photography