Ceramics

Ceramics are constantly catching our eyes over here at Covet HQ, and not stocking any ceramicists (yet!) makes us hungry for those shimmering, sugary glazes!!

Here's a run down of some of our favourites, in no particular order.

1. Studio Arhoj

Beautifully simple shapes over in Copenhagen with Studio Arhoj. Their adorable ghosts were the first things we fell in love with! With drippy, gloopy glazes dripping from their ceramics like melted ice cream, every object they make looks totally different. We love their experimental and playful approach to colour and texture.

This image is from their S/S 2015 catalogue, which we recommend you have a good old gawp at.

We are lucky enough to own a ghosty guy which has pride of place on our mantlepiece!

2. Recreation Center

Recreation Center is Josephine Heilpern, based in New York. With dynamic dots, dashes and squiggles, the simply shaped, functional vessels are so appealing due to their heavy pattens and bold colourings. Another element which makes these ceramics stand out so well is the addition of a rubber dipped handle which features on certain products in either red or yellow.

Photo from the Recreation Center website.

3. Lauren Bamford
Lauren Bamford is a Melbourne based photographer who makes ceramics on the side! We like how experimental she is with her glazing, using them like watercolour paints, and the way that she then carves into the clay to create a surface pattern. The combination of graphic, bold lines and natural watery marks works so well together.

Photo by Lauren Bamford

4. Anna Beam
We now take a bit of a left turn, to have a look at some FAKE ceramics! All round artist extraordinaire Anna Beam has recently been making the most incredible vases/vessels, but from paper mâché! Combining her sophisticated use and love of colour, with her clever paper manipulation skills, she has made these unique pieces which we think are really exciting. 

Photo from Anna Beam's website, from the collection "Vessels 2014"

And who knows, maybe some time soon Anna will also be making some clay pieces that we can get our hands on...

John Powell-Jones

Illustrator John Powell-Jones has an obsession with texture, mark making and colour that makes his work very appealing to us here at Covet.
Using mono printing, screen printing, risograph printing, paint and clay, with many multiple layers, John's work is complex, playful, intricate and beautiful. 

"Wish you were here"

Your illustration has a focus on different print techniques. What is it about this process that appeals to you?

Traditional print gives an error margin the digital doesn’t, I like the fact the each process can inform the result of the image. 

Learning a new process and thinking how this can effect my process is something that really excites me. 

untitled piece

Is there a technique/process that you haven't worked with yet? If so, what is it, and why haven't you yet?

There’s a lot of processes that I haven’t done much of, I’ve only ever done a very small amount of etching, it’s something that I’d love to do more of.

John's latest exhibition "Abyss" in February at Islington Mill showed a lot of his characters which have moved into the 3D realm.

Your illustrations have also been mainly 2D, what made you start clay work?

The first piece was for an exhibition I was in alongside Barry Steadmund and Alex Humphreys, I wanted to try something I’d never done before. Seeing you’re work in a totally different dimension is really interesting, it makes you think about it differently, gives it a different life. 

What is the best part of being immersed in a community of artists and makers?

Collaboration and inspiration.

Who are some of your favourite artists and makers?

George Condo, Philip Guston, Gary Panter, Steve Hockett, Aliyah Hussain, Corita Kent, lots but they’re a continual source of inspiration. 

"Saint Mike"

You can see more of John's work on his website. Also, some of John's beautiful, one off figurines are available through the Covet website.

John is based at Islington Mill in Salford and his exhibition "Into The Abyss" opens tonight at 38b in London