2022 AWARD WINNER | Buckinghamshire New University

CHARLOTTE NEWTON

Buckinghamshire New University | BA(Hons)Product Design

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Tell us about yourself, your work, and your career path so far.
I would describe myself as a designer who is adaptable to a variety of crafts but specialises in the art of ceramics. I have been lucky enough to work with wood, precious metals, 3D printing processes, CAD and sheet metal while at university, and I am always eager to learn more about the art and design world. A core value of design for me would be aesthetics – I am passionate about the experimentation of unique and sculptural forms to catch the eye, but I also enjoy combining these qualities with functional aspects. I love learning through doing and always appreciate the tactile side of art and the ability to push materials to their limits.

Describe your first encounter with clay?
My first experience with clay was during my A-Level studies, although I wish it was much sooner! I had always been in awe of sculpture and how people were able to manipulate clay into anything they wished, and I was grateful that I now had the chance to experiment with it. I never knew that ceramics had so much science involved with it and loved learning more. My first set of vessels depicted insect-like bowls with crawling legs held with nichrome wire. I enjoyed the many challenges that working with clay revealed, which motivated me to pursue a degree involving ceramics.

Why did you choose ceramics?
I have found that I love keeping busy with my hands and producing a final tangible outcome that I can take pride in, and clay has allowed me to do so. The process of ceramics fascinates me as there are so many stages at which something could go awry, and passing each stage feels like levelling up! I love opening up the kiln after the final firing to see what treasure awaits – almost like a lucky dip - as it almost never appears the way that you would expect it to look. Ceramics has provided me with a relaxing, yet challenging, way to create, and I hope to continue doing so in the future. 

Where do you find inspiration? Places, people, objects, music…

I have found that I am mostly inspired by nature which is noticeable in the majority of my work. One of my award-winning projects, ‘Veins of Our Polluted Earth’, was inspired by the most polluted rivers of 2020. The ceramic punch bowl depicts multiple rivers represented by inlayed pewter, including the Mississippi River, The Ganges, and the River Jordan surrounded by a dripping blue glaze.

My first project at university was inspired by fractals, where I created four mugs relating to the structure of crystals. My final year project was inspired by fossils, minerals, and moss where I constructed a toilet cistern and sink in the form of mountains, which were imprinted with fossil markings and held little pockets of sphagnum moss.

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

My hands! I really appreciate how valuable touch can be when working with clay. I am able to feel thickness, plasticity, and texture which are all vital qualities to be familiar with. Getting to know the clay I am working with can determine the difference between a great piece, or a failed piece which can potentially blow-up in the kiln (oops!).

I also appreciate the use of wooden hand tools to add more detail when my hands cannot. Spray guns are also incredibly useful to achieve high-quality glaze results quickly.

What is a typical day in the studio like?
At university, every day in the studio was different for me. As I studied product design, I had access to the metal workshop, the wood workshop and CAD suites, but the ceramic studio was where I loved to work the most. During my third year, a lot of time was dedicated to testing and creating 3D prints before fully working with clay. I made numerous test tiles and mixed up many glaze combinations to ensure I would achieve desired results. When creating, I would either be slab-building, slip-casting, or manipulating the clay with my hands. I was lucky enough to work alongside two resident AA2A artists from who I learnt many new things.

What do the next 12 months have in store for you?
It has been very challenging to find any roles in the ceramic industry near to me so far. For now, I hope to find a role at least in the creative industries so that I can continue to work towards my passion. However, I would love to find a role as a studio assistant so that I can learn more about ceramics and have the opportunity to continue working with clay. It is my dream to have my own studio one day so that I can never stop creating!

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

Definitely make the most of all the facilities available to you. It may be difficult to find a place which can provide all the tools that you need after education, so use them while you can.

It is also incredibly important to enjoy the process – never let yourself be disheartened when something doesn’t go quite to plan and view it as an opportunity to learn from mistakes and grow resilience. When many of my bowls have broken due to errors such as overglazing, I used a Japanese method called Kintsugi to rebuild them. I actually found that I much preferred them once repaired, so always give your pieces a second chance!