Jane Sheppard

Ceramicist

Vessels of earth, form and fire

Jane's large ceramic vessels are the result of only one firing
The speed of her work is dictated by the weather
She works with a neutral, soft colour palette

Jane Sheppard grew up surrounded by creativity and to this day her ceramics are inspired by her art teacher mother and her visits to the local museums and galleries in Cambridge. She earned a degree in art, religious studies and primary school teaching, where she discovered ceramics. Jane lectured in art and design, and led the ceramics department at Bath College for 15 years. In 2022, after a 10-year hiatus, she started working out of a small studio in Frome in Somerset. "I create large, hand-coiled and single-fired ceramic pieces. My intuitive, meditative practice draws on the natural world and explores the human experience," she says. Jane is recognised for Moon Jars project, in which she created one jar for each of the 13 lunar months in a year.

Interview

How do you describe your work?: I make large, hand-coiled, smoke-fired vessels and forms that relate and connect us to our deepest human experience. I work with a neutral, soft colour palette. I recently introduced a little bit of colour, as I do not want to be too dogmatic, but I like having a discipline to work with.
Do you follow a process in your making?: My making is very process-led. I draw, which guides me, but I do not stick to my drawings. The coiling is immersive and meditative. The dialogue is in the making, and the making is slow. I am alert to form, but essentially it is an organic and intuitive process.
How do you fire your pieces?: I fire my work to an earthenware temperature. I do not deliver high temperatures, because a lot of my work is about engaging with the earth. The entire intention behind the ancient practice of coiling is that it connects us with our humanity, so I do not punish the clay too much.
Does your mood influence the way you work?: It is the clay that influences me. I am very interested in it as a receptive material, but it is strong as well, so it meets me halfway. I find it grounding but neutralising, and it levels me completely.

Jane Sheppard is a master artisan: she began her career in 1985 and she started teaching in 1993