Collection: Neill Curran : Ceramic Artist : Carmarthen

I am an Irish-born ceramic artist, currently resident and working from my studio in beautiful Carmarthen.

The potter’s wheel is the starting point for my practice. My thrown forms create a three-dimensional ‘canvas’ to show the colour and texture of glaze splashes that accentuate the curve of the vessel. The carbonisation of combustible material sits deep within the walls of the pot, thus marrying the form with the surface. I fire my pots exclusively in the western style of the 16th century Japanese firing technique known as Raku - a type of pottery traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies.

The elegant forms show a variation of colours that are controlled by the atmospheric conditions in the firing process; this is comparable to the earth’s different layers in its atmosphere that, for instance, create the beautiful spectrum of colour in the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. When working in black and white, I have used atmospheric storms as a starting point for a series of pieces. The curve and lines of the vessel contain harsh elements and bring a sense of calm that is comparable to ‘The Eye of the Storm’.