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Ceramic Review is the magazine for contemporary and historical ceramics, ceramic art and pottery.
Ceramic Review Issue 329
September/October 2024
Ceramic Review is the magazine for contemporary and historical ceramics, ceramic art and pottery.
September/October 2024
Inspired by her coastal upbringing and design background, Juliet Macleod blends refined porcelain with nature-inspired decorations, echoing influences from Andy Priestman's landscape-connected work
My first experience of clay was as a young child. We lived a mile from a part of the Dorset coast that was rich in clay deposits and I distinctly remember that feeling of squishing it between my small fingers. The sea featured heavily in my early life as my father was in the Royal Navy. Years later, I have come to realise how fundamental those formative years are to my practice – it explains my endless fascination with both natural and manmade coastal landscapes.
Art and creativity played a large part in my upbringing and I was lucky to go to a school that embraced the arts and sciences in almost equal measure. I followed the traditional route through art college: first a foundation course at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design; and then a degree in Graphic Design at Central St Martins. I worked as a designer in London for over 20 years, only stopping when our second child was born, which coincided with us moving to Scotland in 2010.
I first tried pottery at school, but I didn’t touch clay again for nearly 20 years. Thanks to my old boss, Lynda Brockbank, I joined a ceramics evening class at Hackney Community College. She had encouraged us to try creative disciplines that ran in parallel to graphic design as a way of expanding our influences and inspiration. From the beginning, I loved throwing on the wheel. The physics of it appealed to my logical brain and the focus it required made the stress of my day job slip away.
I took a short course in hand building and alternative firing at Gray’s School of Art, where my tutor was kind enough to let me use the wheel again. Following that, I set up a tiny studio in our utility room and I began to teach myself repeat throwing, never imagining that it would be anything other than a creative diversion from motherhood. It was wonderful to finally have complete autonomy over what I created and I was hooked. Through the Scottish Potters Association, I discovered a supportive, generous community and, with lots of constructive advice and the loan of a small kiln, The Cloud Pottery was born 10 years ago.
It was inevitable that I would make things that are practical. Working as a designer generated an extensive understanding of design, function and composition as well as a fascination for mark-making. The thought that my work is now used as part of people’s everyday lives gives me great pleasure.
Shannon Tofts photography
I make wheel-thrown porcelain because it gives me the refined canvas and fineness that I can’t achieve with other types of clay. Its whiteness intensifies the colours of my decoration, which evokes the Scottish coast that I have been visiting since I was a child. In particular the Isle of Skye, where my mother’s family lived and in the last 20 years, North Uist, where my husband’s family is from.
I have always felt an deep connection to the Outer Hebrides. This is not difficult to explain as they are areas of outstanding natural beauty, however, I have recently discovered that I can trace the maternal branch of my family back 10 generations to the islands. I have immersed myself in these special places – sketching, note taking and photographing. Using a distillation of these records, I strive to create contemplative pieces, which I hope engage the viewer and spark their own memories.
The challenges of climate change, coastal erosion and marine litter also have a significant influence on my work. I repurpose shoreline waste such as metal, plastic and rope into handmade tools for abstract mark-making. These tools are used to generate painterly, unique marks and repeating abstract patterns that reference specific coastal landscapes. In the last few years I have undertaken some more complex, stand-alone pieces relating to these themes: both a commission for the Aberdeen Art Gallery; and two prize-winning entries for Potfest’s annual competitions.
It is fair to say that, because of my previous career, two-dimensional art and design are my primary influences. In particular abstract landscape painters such as Peter Lanyon and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham; as well as those with a deep connection to their surroundings like Joan Eardley, Francis Walker and Barbara Hepworth.
In contrast to my preference for significant decoration I favour uncomplicated forms. I am inspired by Korean, Japanese and Chinese porcelain alongside the restrained functionality of Scandinavian design. Artists such as Gwynn Hanssen Pigott, Lucie Rie, Lilith Rockett, Cornelia Hofstetter and Sue Paraskeva come to mind.
A couple of years ago I visited Andy Priestman at his beautiful studio in rural Galloway. We had spoken many times on social media and he has been generous in his support of my progress as a potter. Whilst there, I could not resist buying this wood fired, lidded jar made from wheel thrown stoneware. Decorated with combed slip, iron oxide banding and a feldspar and ash glaze, it is now one of the favourite pieces in my fairly large, and ever-expanding collection.
Although our work initially appears to be quite different, we have some techniques and inspiration in common. The seemingly simple, tapered form; the use of handmade tools for mark-making; and a strong relationship to our surroundings. It is deftly thrown, with a lovely balance and a lid that fits with incredible precision – things that I aspire to. Andy’s free mark-making and the subtle combination of native clay, slip and the glaze made with birch and ash wood grown on his property, is inspiring. This piece gives me something to aim for and I hope one day to be able to make something as accomplished.
For more details visit julietmacleod.com; @thecloudpottery
Images: courtesy of the artist, photos by Shannon Tofts
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