In 2019 I developed a body of work in response to a residency I attended at Lizard Point in Cornwall and my wider research into the notion of darkness in material.

I was interested in the experience of natural darkness, of the psychological effect of being in darkness and the visceral effect of dark textures and objects. I wanted to make objects that alluded to sense of depth and connection with the wider universe you have when looking at the starry night sky.

The resulting artwork consisted of 2 groups of objects. The first a collection of 'dark pools', which were large dishes containing strange black textures and surfaces, resembling pools of liquid and allusions to starry skies. I used some iron rich rock samples collected at Lizard Point in the glaze as it added to the dark tones of the glaze.

The other group was a collection of spherical forms in varying degrees of decay or growth, referencing geological elemental features and the planetary scale.

Dark Pools (2019), ceramic and found glaze material, largest 45cm diameter

Dark Spheres (2019), ceramic, largest diameter 40cm

Dark Pools (2019), ceramic and found glaze material, largest 45cm diameter

Dark Spheres (2019), ceramic, largest diameter 40cm

Clare

Flatley