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The Art Of Dining
An exhibition of Paintings and Ceramics
Paintings - Still Life and Floral
Nel Whatmore, Beth Fletcher, Libby Edmondson, Cathy Savels, Paul Stone, Chris Howells, Bridget Rochford
A still life is a work of art depicting inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made in an artificial setting. Popular in Western art since the 17th century, still life paintings give the artist more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition than do paintings of other types of subjects such as landscape or portraiture. Still life paintings often adorn the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. It was believed that the foodstuffs and other items depicted there would, in the afterlife, become real and available for use by the deceased. The featured paintings in this exhibition are still life and floral pieces in a variety of medium, which we believe would compliment any eating experience and stimulate conversation or aid quiet solitary dining contemplation whether in the formal dining room or comfortable kitchen.
Ceramics - Kiln to Table
Jennifer Hall, Josie Walter, Graham Hudson, Morgen Hall, RAMP, Martin Lungley, Tanya Gomez, John Leach, Jan Kare Myklebust, Kaori Tatebayashi, Ninna Gotzsche, Sun Kim, Jane Cox, Katrin Moye
Stuart Dickens, Ceramics Curator says 'This is a large and exciting exhibition of functional table and kitchenware made by studio potters. It has three main objectives. First, in the tradition of The Gallery at Bevere, we want to demonstrate the range and diversity of functional ceramics. Second, to show that it is possible to bring the uniqueness of studio ceramics to the dining table and third to encourage people to think about using these beautiful pots on a day to day basis. Every potter relishes the notion that his or her work is a part of everyday domestic ritual.
Quotes from and further information on makers and artists
Ceramicists
Jennifer Hall The forms of her pots are determined by their function. She is inspired by vessels of glass, metal and clay, ancient and modern, designed for similar use. The materials and the processes themselves then combine to influence the piece. Jennifer has adopted decorative slipware techniques used by potters down the ages. Further inspiration comes from a collection of images from natural and manmade environments, sketch, photographed or lodged in her memory and subconscious.
Josie Walter explains "All the pots I make are functional and are made to be used in the kitchen orserving on the table. The decorative motifs are used to complement the food cooked and served in them and to provide a pot that is pleasing to the eye when not in use."
Graham Hudson currently makes small batch production and individual functional tableware pieces informed by a strong interest in both ancient and contemporary ceramics and patterns, textures and colours in landscapes. Pieces are kept simple, unfussy and contemporary, the intention is for them to be both visually appealing and a pleasure to handle and use.
Morgen Hall makes a wide range of domestic tableware which is inspired by the food it is intended for, from tea cabaret sets to spaghetti jars. Most of her work is wheel thrown and turned from tin glazed red earthenware.
RAMP All the ceramics are hand-made; thrown on the wheel by Rupert and then hand painted by Alice. The current range is fired at earthenware temperature. Colour is first applied using various clay slips then when the clay slip is drying, scraffito tools are used to incise lines through the colour and create specific designs. As all the work is individually made and in many cases one-off. Due to the hand made nature of the ceramics, there will always be slight differences in form & decoration, which is what makes the work interesting.
Martin Lungley's tea bowls are tactile; their soft, silky glazes flowing over the generously thrown forms. The pale blues and greens of the celadon glazes bring an ethereal quality to the forms, emphasising the intimacy of handling and using the bowls. By contrast the tea sets are more formal; coloured a pale creamy white, the porcelain is softened and muted allowing the crispness and delicacy of the shape to predominate. Like all skilled makers, Lungley is a meticulous craftsman, and the high degree of finish, the delicate rims and the neatly turned foot all make handling these pots a pleasure, which is both practical and aesthetic.
Tanya Gomez - on her pieces produced for this exhibition - explains "his new line of fine functional ware are glazed inside and out and are made from hand thrown porcelain which can withstand temperatures up to 250 C. The pieces are ideal for baking and grilling and deeply enhance the daily experience of eating, transforming our every day experience into an extraordinary one. These objects are meant to be used and admired for a lifetime."
John Leach - grandson to Bernard Leach and son to David Leach, internationally renowned potters themselves too - answers our question "My guiding principle? I try to make honest pots and be inspired by potters historically. As potters, we are so fortunate to be able to take a raw material as humble as clay from the ground and fashion it into something beautiful and functional."
Jan Kare Myklebust says "My work is about function and contrast Rims are cut and thrown out of shape, but without stopping my pots from being functional. I try to create a balance between a structured body and an organic rim. Most of my pots are heavily thrown porcelain, making positive features of thickness and weight."
Kaori Tatebayashi explains "My design is greatly influenced by natural shapes and forms. For example, the edges of KUMO series resemble mountain ridges, and the pattern of KAGE plate, named after the Japanese word 'shadow' was inspired by the silhouette of a plant. The simple ceramic forms are created by a special moulding technique, which gives each piece a unique character. I would like my work to be fresh and innovative but comfortable to use at the same time. I hope my tableware gives you a quiet, sensual treat."
Ninna Gøtzsche tells us "My work is built on a background of the Scandinavian idiom and functionality but also elements of the English Arts & Crafts movement. In many ways, what I do is traditional, but there is more added to it. I am giving it a place in present time. It can be the way I have distorted the side of a vase or the leaning of a jug or possibly the way you lift the lid of a jar. Details, added during the making, details that makes the work personal, give it is own voice - and show my voice."
Sun Kim tells us "My attention is focused on functional wares - I am very intrigued by the quality of porcelain, which is soft, warm, responsive to my touch, and playful to my imagination. The engineering process of making pots is one of the parts that excites, challenges, and also arouses my curiosity and motivates my personal investigation of forms, shapes and volume. Following my intuition and my own personal sense of beauty, I try to find balance and stability in my pots."
Jane Cox began her career in Social Anthropology studying social rituals around food preparation and consumption. Her studies created an interest and desire to make functional ceramics. The social significance of the daily food ritual relates to the desire to create beauty in the everyday, using colour, pattern and shape to enhance the way food is held, contained and shared.
Katrin Moye says "We can all remember objects from our childhood homes that were in constant use that come to represent for us a period of our lives by evoking many layers of memories through repeated use, and become symbols of the environment they belong in. In this way they rise above their original functionality to achieve a talismanic status. These objects are far more likely to be humble, functional items than the decorative ones placed out of harm's way on the mantelpiece or shelf. It is for these reasons that I make functional ceramics, as opposed to purely decorative items. I would like to think that some of my work might achieve this symbolic status in another family's lives by becoming a well-used and familiar part of their domestic scenery."
Painters
Nel Whatmore After studying for a Foundation Course in Art & Design at Wolverhampton University, Nel went on to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Trinity and All Saints College, Leeds. Shortly afterwards, in 1986, she was awarded a grant from the Princes Youth Business Trust and was one of the few people chosen to represent the Princes Youth Business Trust at the Chelsea Flower Show in 1990. Nel says "Although I have been a professional artist since 1986, I was probably first aware of having talent when I was just 10 years old. Whilst my family is not obviously artistic, there are a few notable exceptions. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs and those that are very skilled with their hands."
Beth Fletcher Beth explains "For me, painting is as much about touch as vision, as much about feeling and memory as conscious thought and decision. There are no rules except to strive to communicate landscape in its reality - not just how it looks but how it feels, what it is and what it means. In practice, the joyful and startling business of painting is fairly intuitive and certainly never planned out in detail, sometimes developing very slowly, sometimes progressing in a rush. I use whichever tools and methods suit the painting itself, including dripping, smearing, shovelling, sprinkling and using fingers, spray bottles, rolling pins, rags, sticks and the occasional brush or two!"
Libby Edmondson Libby adopts a varied approach to her painting, which is predominantly in acrylic. Some of her work is quite abstract whilst other is more figurative. One of the distinguishing features of all her work is a vibrant use of colour. A particular passion is her fascination with Levens Hall Garden that is renowned for its ancient topiary.
Cathy Savels says "My works combine the traditional medium of painting with the use of other materials such as string, paper and cloth to create beautiful textured works which are both striking and accessible for the viewer. The nature of the works invite viewers to touch and become involved on many sensory levels."
Paul Stone's painting career began in 1994 and he has since exhibited in over 40 group and solo shows across the country. With a 1st class degree in Art History, and in 2007, a Masters Degree in Fine Art, Paul's work has entered a new phrase of maturity and ambition, which marks him out as an emerging artist to watch. He adds "Almost all of my works now depict scenes and objects gathered from within a mile of my studio. Visiting the local butcher, florist, baker, Charity shop, etc, I realised that I am surrounded by a richness of familiar and nostalgic content, resulting in a more intimate relationship in their representation."
Chris Howells works from his studio in Malvern town centre. He loves painting with a passion and says "My head is always full of new ideas, I cannot wait to arrive at my studio each day to put paint on canvas. I cannot imagine a time when I would not want to paint."
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ORIGINAL CRAFTS AND ARTWORK PRINTS CERAMICS PICTURE FRAMING
"The Gallery at Bevere shows the best of modern/British studio ceramics, along with paintings and other crafts in an intimate setting. A regional gallery showing national artists!" - David Whiting, Crafts Critic
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