Claire Ireland produces elegant hand-built sculptural forms; collectable objects, inspired by her studio’s location in the grounds of a historical steam museum in London. Her working practice as a ceramic sculptor is changing and is drawn to a more minimal and reductive strategy, but constantly enhancing and developing the decorated surface.

Claire finds great enjoyment and creative impulse in making collections and arranging man-made and natural forms. The discipline of drawing, her continuous sketchbook studies and her passion for printmaking are of prime importance to her.

As an experienced tutor, she teaches contemporary ways of making, experimental surface decoration and creating specialist short courses on smoke firing and experimental paperclay techniques.

Claire studied ceramics and printmaking and Camberwell School of the Arts, London and is a dedicated hand builder. She revels in how ideas develop out of the process of making and experimenting with materials and techniques.

Claire makes sculptural pieces to a commission for specific locations and has completed an artist in residence at the Pimlico Academy, a newly built secondary school in central London, developing a ceramic and steel installation for their roof garden. She also designed a commemorative Portland stone panel for Pocahontas, which has been installed on the boundary wall of the Syon Park Estate, one of the last great houses of London.

She is a professional member of the Craft Potters Association and the Society of Designer Craftsmen. Her latest project is a book commissioned by The Crowood Press on “Surface Decoration for Ceramics” published in January 2023.

Courtesy of the artist.