Abigail Schama
British Ceramicist
“I COME TO CERAMICS FROM A BACKGROUND IN PAINTING, SO THAT THE BODY AND FORM OF CLAY IS ANOTHER SURFACE FOR MAKING MARKS AND CULTIVATING TEXTURES. UNLIKE A PAINTING, A POT HAS NO FRONT OR BACK, BUT ONE CAN REACH INSIDE IT, RESPOND TO THE HUMAN IMPULSE TO TOUCH AND HANDLE IT.”
Schama’s pieces are wheel thrown from different combinations of dark and light clay bodies, which recently has included reclaimed clays from her shared studio. The recycled clay is composed of an unknown combination of what her and other makers are using – stoneware, porcelain, terracotta, black or red clays – and so the complexion of each piece represents a snapshot of a period in time, and remains unpredictable and unique. Each piece responds differently to the rhythms of the wheel and the dynamic between body and glaze. This experimental approach is complimented by the surface, which is achieved through a palette of dolomite and transparent glazes, before a further firing lightly gilds with a gold lustre. Schama feels that every piece has its own history; a glint of gold lustre can break up the clay’s earthy character while honouring the quirks in its skin and contours. Diverse visual artists are inspirational for Schama: from Rembrandt and Twombly informing her approach to illuminating and animating the surface, to her teacher Akiko Hirai impressing on her the beauty of functionality, and the relationship of a given piece to the long history of these forms.
