Carolyn Tripp

Inspired by a Chinese bottle gifted to me as a child, each piece I make assumes its own identity with the application of transferred decoration. Collected imagery and text tell stories from lives past and present centering around the human condition from significant to trivial. Through tearing and cutting the storytelling becomes abstract. Visible fragments hint at the narrative creating new meanings. Borrowing from historic ceramic tradition on closer inspection my process gives each piece a contemporary twist. The eclectic shapes and surfaces stand alone or work in harmony when grouped, capturing the gaze and allowing the viewer their own interpretation. All my work is hand thrown by me in my studio at Wimbledon Art Studios. I like to create shapes dictated by the feel of the porcelain clay I use and am captivated by the bottle shape in particular. Collaring in the buttery porcelain is a joy. Despite its idiosyncrasies and difficulties, l am drawn to porcelain. Its fluidity and elasticity on the wheel keep me energized and able to create each one of my individual pieces of work.