Barbara Gittings 'Tilted Bowl I'
Dimensions - H 19cm x W 25cm
Material - Porcelain, oxides and stains
Method - Nerikomi (Japanese pottery method in which contrasting coloured pieces of clay are arranged in a mosaic-like fashion), smoke-fired, unglazed and waxed
Care - Decorative only, keep out of direct sunlight, wax surfaces with a high-quality furniture polish
Description
Barbara’s use of Nerikomi and smoke firing makes her work exceptionally unique, blending a sense of serenity with experimental inexactness. She has spent over 10 years of her practice mastering the skill hidden within her intricate clay layering, inspired by a Chinese Nerikomi teapot she saw in 1999. Thoroughly enjoying the tactility of producing ceramics, and using her existing skills as a pattern cutter to develop complex shapes, she sees her work as “the manifestation of a thousand traditions.”
The intentional imbalance of her pieces allows the viewer to physically connect with the work, of which is complemented by obscure, irregular repetition, primitive mark-making, and soft earthy blues, browns, and whites. Her fascination with the world’s organic geometry and the way in which processes such as erosion distort nature’s original symmetry has an incredible influence on her practice. This sense of awareness allows her work to adopt obscure forms, and whilst incredibly independent, they are united by their irregularity.
Barbara says: “I’m constantly exploring these balances between symmetry and asymmetry, perfection and imperfection, the line between order and chaos and the juxtaposition between control and spontaneity."
About the artist
Barbara Gittings started producing ceramic works in 1999 and continued to develop her blend between Nerikomi and smoke firing until eventually beginning sales of her pieces in 2013. Her influenced use of repetitive layering, intentional imbalance, and earthy tones is shaped through her constant observation of life around her, allowing daily moments to seep into her subconscious, waiting for them to be released when later engaging with clay. These mentally submerged images and patterns then dictate her works in progress, resulting in complex pieces that feel both serene and experimental.
Read more about Barbara's practice and view her full collection...
