The effect of repetition
- Anne creates sculptural ceramic artworks based on repetition and series-making
- She works with a variety of materials in addition to clay, such as found objects and paper
- Her creations have won several prestigious awards in Wales and the UK
Anne Gibbs creates abstract sculptures, primarily from porcelain and bone China clay. She explores hand building and casting techniques to craft colourful pieces, which are displayed individually or presented as a curated collection. Anne received the prestigious Creative Wales Award from the Arts Council of Wales in 2015, which allowed her to travel to Japan and immerse herself in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. This is where she attended lessons in ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. "This experience encouraged me to explore colour and composition in my ceramic works," explains Anne. She turned to ceramics after an initial career in printmaking and has been awarded several awards over the years of her career in ceramics, including the Purchase Prize in 2023. The National Museum of Wales acquired a series of her works titled A Moment in Time, in 2023, following this award.
Interview
- What key skills are needed to make sculptural ceramics?
- Attention to detail, patience and composition. To create a ceramic sculpture with lots of detail and in different shades takes time and patience. It is a slow process of making which can be meditative, and I like this particular way of working.
- How do you choose the materials for your creations?
- I currently work with porcelain paper clay. This clay is flexible and strong and very good for hand building and it is very versatile. I also stain the clay in various shades of colour.
- Do you remember when you first gained interest for this craft?
- I completed my first degree in printmaking in 1994, followed by a teaching certificate. In 2000, I shared a studio with several ceramicists and was intrigued by the material’s versatility and range of applications. I became particularly drawn to slip casting—a technique for creating multiples. This method echoed how I worked in printmaking: producing a series with variation. Inspired to shift direction, I went on to study ceramics at Master’s level from 2002 to 2004.
- How do you bring a classical legacy into the contemporary?
- Working with clay allows for expressive and imaginative creations. Combining original ideas with a colour palette, my work sits in the field of contemporary ceramics, blending tradition with modern aesthetics to create unique sculptural forms.
Anne Gibbs is a master artisan: she began her career in 2003 and she started teaching in 2004
Where
Anne Gibbs
