Dameon Lynn

1260 Degrees

Ceramicist

©Dameon Lynn

©Penélope Vallejo

©Dameon Lynn

©Penélope Vallejo

Ceramics that dance with time

Dameon's creates works of art and functional tableware
He loves timeless forms, especially artefacts from ancient times
His artwork challenges function over form

Dameon Lynn creates sculptural pieces and functional tableware that stress the close relationship between the artist and the artisan. He graduated from Cardiff University with a degree in ceramics. Geoffrey Swindell, one of his teachers, taught him to be his own self-critic and to challenge tradition while remaining respectful. He later became an assistant to the Japanese master Gas Kimishima, who taught him how to build medieval style anagama kilns. After setting up his first workshop in Cambridgeshire, UK, he moved it to Catalonia to join his partner, ceramicist Penélope Vallejo. Together they have grown and strengthened their craft. "Now we organise workshops with artists and participants who believe in what we do. After dedicating myself to ceramics for more than 20 years, it is a privilege to be able to share my knowledge and experiences here in Spain."

Interview

©Penélope Vallejo

©Penélope Vallejo

Do you remember when you first thought of picking up this craft?: I decided to study ceramics after seeing the Lucie Rie and Hans Coper collection of pots at the Sainsbury Centre of Visual Arts in England in 1997. At the time, I had no idea who these people were, but the work of Coper had a huge impact on me. It was a language of expression that resonated deep.
How would you define what you do?: I use natural materials to make vessels: each piece is like a time machine, representing the time involved in its making, the moments, the decisions and the emotions. A conversation, a dance between the material and me, all that I am, past and present, is there. Embalmed forms, capturing the vulnerability and softness of the clay.
What do you love most about your profession?: I love the freedom to express, working with soft natural materials and creating forms while developing my own language. People don't often know that the slabs I use to make my works are thrown on the potter's wheel. This gives it rhythm and resonance only found in wheel-thrown ceramics.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: Yes, I believe many of the traditional skills are being lost as educational institutions are in rapid decline. Online learning and teaching do not give the same level of understanding and transference of energy as real contact.

Dameon Lynn is a master artisan: he began his career in 2001 and he started teaching in 2002