2023 AWARD WINNER | University of Central Lancashire

JANNE GREASLEY | University of Central Lancashire | MA Ceramics

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

Instagram

Tell us about yourself, your work, and your career path so far.
I’m originally from Finland but now I live in the Lake District, in Cumbria. Lakes, forests, ancient places and the sea are all important to me, I guess. I was taught by the Cumbria potter, John Kershaw of Windermere, and Mary Chappelhow, of Brougham Hall, and who was ast master potter at Wetheriggs Pottery, near Penrith. Over the years I’ve been fortunate to support and assist other potters, like Nic Collins, Sabine Nemet, Ben Fosker, Andy Priestman and Deiniol Williams who have all helped my learning as a potter. Ceramic artists and potters are the most generous, helpful and giving people and have helped me so much. I started the MA way back in 2017 under Professor Dave Binns at UCLan (now retired) and finally finished this year. I’ve shown my work for the first time this year, which has been an amazing experience. I started with Potfest in Penrith, fairly local; and went on to show at Ceramic Art Wales with uni; Pots and Food at Wardlow Mires, which was idyllic; and Only Clay in Sheffield which was so much fun. My work is gas or wood-fired and made from locally sourced clays and found materials. I built my own small wood kiln this year, and hope to complete a larger, cross-draft version in the spring.

Describe your first encounter with clay?
There are three moments. The first was watching the Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, on a little B&W tv when I was very small. Robinson makes a little coil pot and fires it in the campfire. I was so smitten. The second was meeting the potter Avis Loshak in Ambleside. She was an amazing woman, quite elderly when I met her. She was a Marxist who had been at Bletchley Park I think, amazingly. She gave me a little thrown cup when I was young. The third was at school. I was lucky enough to have an art teacher, the sculptor Peter Hiorns who lived in Warwickshire, who was into archaeology. He had us help at nearby archaeological digs, make Roman-style ceramics and then build incredible updraft kilns to fire them in.

Why did you choose ceramics?
My favourite ceramic work is always where you can see and feel the hand of the maker through the pot. The pot gives such a strong connection to people. The texture, heft, and little unintended and intended marks of the maker speak across
time. Clay feels.

Where do you find inspiration? Places, people, objects, music…
I spend a lot of time walking in ancient places. Places that show the passage of our ancestors and the marks they made. Stones circles, burial cairns and the footings of round houses. Sometimes marks appear in the strangest places. There are runes just inside the door at Carlisle Cathedral that stand out like some kind of graffiti. Other marks have come from times past when I’d stare at lettering on ordinary items of shopping, trying to decipher the meaning. I try to convey some of that strange wonderfulness in my mark making.

What are the tools of your trade that you can't do without?
I was given a piece of metal from John Ward’s old kiln, which I turned into a rib, which I love. Mudtools Flexi ribs are just the business. I’ve used my green bendy one almost every day since I stumbled across it at the Potclays shop way back. And a towel. I am a messy maker.

What is a typical day in the studio like?
I get up early-ish. When I’m making, my head buzzes with ideas and I have to get to the clay quickly to get things underway. I love the routines of clay: the reclaim, the pugging and wedging, making and drying, and finally firing. There’s a beautiful seasonality to ceramics. Coffee and meals and walks are paced around the work. The day ends when I’ve got down in clay what’s in my head.

What do the next 12 months have in store for you?
Setting up the studio, building the latest version of the cross-draft kiln idea in my head, and making pots!

What advice do you have for those currently studying ceramics in further education?
Studying is the best umbrella to acquire other learning experiences in ceramics: I’ve learned as much meeting and chatting with other potters; helping at shows; and crewing for other makers as I have in taught sessions at Uni. Being a student allows you to have all these great learning experiences. The whole experience is what gives you your voice.