2019 AWARD WINNER | UAL Central Saint Martins

Leanne Vieira Commins

BA Ceramic Design | UAL Central Saint Martins

Website | Instagram: @leanneaurora_

1. Tell us about yourself, your work, and your career path so far.

Over my 3 years of study at Central Saint Martins, I’ve experimented with a wide range of techniques and forms. I’ve always had an interest in the environment around me and try to reflect this in my work, whilst hoping to subtly highlight the issues that surround us. My hand-built forms, from large urns to everyday playful objects, are made to display the beauty of the UK’s endangered and lost species of wildflowers, insects and invertebrates while putting into perspective the scale and consequences of their rapid decline. I'm passionate about accessibility in the arts, which is why I choose to work on both small and large scale pieces.

2. Describe your first encounter with clay?

I was able to attend beginner ceramic classes for free at my local adult education centre. Initially it was just something I wanted to try as I had never really been able to experiment much with ceramics at school as we didn’t have the facilities for it.

3. Why did you choose ceramics?

Ceramics has such a rich and far reaching history. There’s always new things to learn, objects and techniques to refer back to. It’s versatile but also limited by the properties of the material which, for me, really helps give direction to my projects.

4. Where do you find inspiration? Places, people, objects, music...

I like to look at the environment around me for inspiration and, where possible, use the material to help raise awareness for issues we face. I really enjoy the research side of projects and talking to other makers.

5. What are the tools of your trade that you can't do without?

A turntable!

6. What is a typical day in the studio like?

I coil and/or pinch all of my pieces. Handbuilding takes a lot of waiting around for pieces to harden so that more layers can be added. So, typically, I'll be working on anywhere from 2 to 5 pieces at one time, depending on the scale, starting some new pieces while finishing off others. Towards the end of the day I like to take a look back at what I’ve done and decide what still needs to be done and plan out the following day. I do chase around my classmates sometimes and ask for advice, its always nice to get a second opinion and share ideas!

7. What do the next 12 months have in store for you?

I’m hoping to rent out a studio space and continue making and engaging in workshops. At the moment I teach and assist classes and workshops at a local art school that I’ve worked at for over 2 years.

8. What advice do you have for those currently studying ceramics in further education?

Make the most of the facilities and technical advice offered to you! Once you leave, it’s very expensive to stock up on raw materials to experiment with.