2023 AWARD WINNER | Loughborough School of the Arts, English & Drama

EMILY LAVARACK Loughborough School of the Arts, English & Drama | BA Hons Fine Art

Recipient of the Potclays Graduate Award in 2023 as part of our Educlaytion programme

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

My name is Emily Lavarack, I am 21 years old and have just finished my final year of my degree at Loughborough University. I studied Fine Art where I specialised in Ceramics, but also created watercolour illustrations. Inspired by British wildlife, I made small vases and ceramic animals. My work aims to bring joy and show my appreciation and fondness for British nature.

Describe your first encounter with clay?
My first encounter with clay would have been when I was a student at primary school. I loved the idea of constructing a three dimensional object but I hadn’t quite developed the proper dexterity for what I was hoping to achieve, which frustrated me at the time. Looking back I should have persevered! My second proper encounter with clay wasn’t again until my final year at university. I wasn’t intending to specialise in ceramics, instead I was just planning on slip casting a few vases to break and use as ‘fragments’ in my display. It wasn’t until I decided to embellish one vase with a frog that I discovered a newfound passion for clay. The modelling of the frog turned out as realistic as I’d hoped and I found the process of making it was meditative, as well as the outcome being incredibly rewarding.

Why did you choose ceramics?
I am drawn to things that I can touch and interact with. Ceramics allows me to create three dimensional objects, each of which is completely unique and my own. Clay is unlike any other material; tactile, malleable and flexible enough to create smooth and detailed shapes. You can also use clay in the form of casting slip, which when poured into moulds such as my vase moulds, can produce very intricate and delicate ware. I love being so involved in the making process of each object, working with my hands and finding joy in crafting small and intricate details. I believe you can see the time and care that goes into each of my ceramic animals, and I think each one has a lovely tactility.

Where do you find inspiration?
My inspiration comes mainly from British Nature. Almost every year since I was a baby I have been going to the Lake District for my summer holidays with my family. I have so many fond memories from there and it has kindled a fondness for the British countryside and all its creatures. My parents have helped nurture this love of wildlife as it’s something they themselves feel. They would point out interesting beetles and insects on our countryside walks, and frogs that would jump across our path. I remember looking into ponds in early spring and the excitement of spotting the newts that had started to gather. Frogs and newts have become an especially prominent part of my ceramics because of these memories.
My ceramics are a celebration of my love for British wildlife. I give my ceramic animals anthropomorphic qualities, inspired by my childhood books such as Beatrix Potter’s stories, Frog and Toad, and The Wind in the Willows. I hope this makes my ceramics more endearing and gives them personalities of their own.

What are the tools of your trade that you can't do without?
I found that small modelling tools were incredibly useful in helping me to shape and place the more intricate parts of my designs, such as the tiny tails and ears on my mouse vases. However Mayco clay mender is something I couldn’t do without. Creating such small details with clay meant it wasn’t uncommon to have a breakage when drying, such as a frog’s toe snapping off! The clay mender meant I was able to reattach any toes even when the clay was already dry. It saved me from having to start over and created a seamless join, as though the breakage had never happened.

What is a typical day in the studio like?
A typical day for me would start at 10am in the University’s ceramics studio. I would first check my ceramics that had been bisque fired the night before and see if they were all in one piece for glazing. I would then slip cast a few of my vase moulds and, as they dried, start to create one of my ceramic newts or frogs. This is a lengthy process as they’re all made by hand and can take anywhere from 4-6 hours depending on their complexity. If I had any time left before the studio closed at 5pm, I would mix up some glaze for my bisque fired ceramics, or fettle my now dry slip casted vases and add some small clay mice onto them.

What do the next 12 months have in store for you?
In the immediate future I am planning on finding a ceramics studio where I can continue to create, as well as develop my skills. I would love to take the opportunity to keep learning and ultimately improve my practice. I especially want to keep creating more of my ceramic animals as they’re something I find such joy in making. In the long term I’d like to sell my work at various art markets, as well as online. It would be wonderful if this was something I was able to continue full time. I have found a venture I look forward to each day and I’m excited to see where it takes me.

What advice do you have for those currently studying ceramics in further education?
I would say to those who are currently studying ceramics to just have fun with it and to take a few risks. Your biggest success can come from taking risks, and it may not turn out how you intended, but it will often become a valuable lesson or may even be a better outcome. You should always try new things, and if there is a course or class available to you just go for it. You never know what you might learn from it and where it might lead. Finally, make sure you enjoy the process, it’s an exciting time to explore new ideas and to ultimately love what you are doing.