I started my journey into ceramics over 30 years ago, at college in Stoke-on-Trent, learning my skills under tutors such as John Weber and Derek Emms. After gaining an honors degree in design, my career path moved into teaching.
A Primary School Teacher for over 25 years, I loved my job with its rewards...and challenges! However the urge to create could, no longer be ignored. So here I am, 30 years after completing my ceramics degree, finally taking the plunge and starting a whole new adventure. I now have a studio, in a beautiful 15th-century Tudor Yeoman’s house, with a former teaching colleague, in semi-rural Lancashire. And, I must say, am loving every minute of it!
I create two kinds of ceramic ware. My Porcelain is slip-cast Parian Porcelain. First I handcraft forms from clay or Plaster of Paris. I then make moulds for these and slip-cast the vessels, using my own 30-year-old Parian-slip recipe. The forms are lovingly carved and hand finished over a period of a few days. I work closely on each piece, decorating and individualising them. My work is fired to 1220°C and rarely glazed, as I prefer the noble quality of the medium to speak for itself. The Parian vessels are highly translucent, self-glazing and possess a marble-like finish, which is incredibly tactile.
My stoneware range is thrown on a pottery wheel, turned and finished and then decorated using a variety of glazes and techniques. I glaze these vessels using a variety of beautiful ready made industry glazes on each piece. Several layers of glaze are painted by hand, resulting in an individuality on each vessel. All of the glazes I use are completely lead free, food safe and non toxic. I feel truly blessed to be given the opportunity to run my own studio and love the thrill of learning new things and creating something so individual and unique. How lucky I am!
ABOUT CHRISTINE CHERRY
