Tamsyn Trevorrow Ceramic Sculptures

The beautiful and rugged landscape surrounded by coastline, of Cornwall, as well as the Cornish mines, mine deposits and boat/shipwrecks, all offer a rich source of inspiration. Their structures and weathered and corroded textures are reflected in the construction of my clay forms. I returned to live and work in west Cornwall, after extended periods of time in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Working, studying and teaching in potteries across these countries gave me new languages of construction and sculpture, as well as recognising the universality of symbols such as the spiral. The spiral represents movement and regeneration, I am drawn to the shape, the form of a shell or the curl of a wave, both hold within them the spiral. The land and sea with its wealth of colour and endless energy and how the movement of water obeys the same harmonics which conditions the growth of shells. This simple yet powerful movement flows within parts of my work adding different dimensions, as does the smooth slick of colour to the otherwise rugged and weathered exterior. My pieces are built by hand with a heavily grogged stoneware clay suitable for both inside and outside. Using mainly the coiling and slab process most are then cut, reshaped and sculpted; adding and removing sections as the piece evolves. This results in a spontaneous and instinctive sculpture, which invites the eye to explore it from all angles, in, around and through. The colours that I achieve are a result of using a variety of different slips and glazes that interact with one another, they are often then multi-fired building up the textures. I give over control of the piece to the intransient process of firing. The finished piece is when hand, eye and nature have contributed successfully.