Behind the Sea's Walls, miniature edition 1

Having gradutuated from Cardiff Metropolitain's (CSAD) Ceramics Degree in 2017, I returned to Torbay to rediscover what ceramics means to me. During my time here I spent a lot of time at the beaches I missed so much from my time away. I realized that this coastline was something I needed to capture and bring to others so that they could experience it's beauty even if they were hundreds of miles away. I aim to create something that inspires others to come to Torbay and experience this incredible part of the UK for themselves. My hope for these pieces is to make people more aware of the natural beauty of the ocean and encourage everyone to look after it.

The pieces I create are slab-built, walled terracotta tiles that have coloured glass melted within them to emulate the the ocean meeting the incredible red cliffs visable thoughout Torbay. The tiles are made by rolling terracotta slabs and carving in them to mimic the form of the ocean floor. Then a grogged white stoneware slip is applied to aid the colours of the glass to come through. Following the slip, terracotta is used to form each rock by hand, and they are carefully placed to form one continuous pattern. Before the piece dries the rocks are textured by a stiff bristled paintbrush. After the first firing crushed coloured glass is used to fill the tiles. The glass colours are carefully layered to create the same depths and variations visable in our ocean. After the final firing these pieces are sanded and ready to hang.

Behind the Sea's Walls is a piece of ceramic wall art that is made from 6 individual ceramic tiles that form the shape of a hexagon. Within the individual tile are formations of rock pools that link together to form a wider Image.

The terracotta clay meets the blue and green glass in much the same way the ocean meets the red cliffs I see everyday. Inspired by the high level on contrast between the red cliffs of Torbay and the vibrant blues of the ocean on a bright summers day, this set is just one part of what I hope to be an ever expanding set of tiles illustrating one of the most beautiful and intriguing coastlines in the world. I hope to bring the beauty of Torbay into the homes of others in a quest to help them love our coastline as much as I do.

Mixed Media / Ceramics and Glass

30x26x2.5cm