A search for simplicity and quietness, an essential stillness, motivates my work. The making of functional pots, the exploration of objects to be held and used, alongside a search for new and innovative forms, provides a lifetime of challenge and excitement.
A beautiful cup seems simple and yet is capable of gently holding and reflecting so much ceremony and personal connection. The finished object stands innocently – as if oblivious to the complexities of its history, of making and firing processes. The translucency of porcelain, the light dancing on the sprung tension of a rim, the softly melting body inviting touch, even the frustration of failure – all this and more continues to invite me.
I enjoy the contradictory nature of these pieces - where the sprung tension of the throwing remains clear, but the origins of forms are uncertain. I have a particular interest in the making of functional objects. The work contains references to 18th and 19th century English industrial pottery as well as to more contemporary and familiar metal and plastic vessels.
Prue Venables Tea Strainer, porcelain, silver
All photo credits Terrence Bogue.
