Folklore in fire and clay
- Jasmine works with stoneware, porcelain and earthenware
- Her sculptures reflect her English ceramic heritage
- She explores the animal-human connection through her practice
Jasmine Simpson was born in Lincolnshire and grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, where her grandmother worked in The Potteries. She studied 3D design and ceramics, and then completed her masters in ceramics and glass at the Royal College of Arts. "Animals, and their role in mythology and folklore, have become my muse and a prime feature of my work," Jasmine says. She has worked with notable artists and ceramicists, such as Paul Cummins, Reiko Kaneko and Felicity Aylieff. Today, Jasmine assists artists Laura Ford and Andrew Sabin, and continues to develop her own practice in her studio in West Sussex. Her large-scale project, There are Devils in my House, inspired by 16th century hellmouth fireplaces, was featured in the British Ceramic Biennial in 2023. Jasmine also created Cobalt Chronicles, a public artwork at The Spode Factory in Stoke-on-Trent, which celebrates their recognisable blue and white Italian patterns.
Interview
- How would you describe what you do?
- I try to maintain a kind of British punkiness around my ceramics, whilst also maintaining a natural look in my work with the animals. I think it is quite expressive and painterly, and carries a hint of my heritage of the old Staffordshire work in blue and white. I want there to be some grit in the work as well, which is why I integrate demons.
- What does your making process look like?
- Before I start building, I begin with doodling in a sketchbook, which gives me a sense of who the character is. The clay wants to do its own thing, and it morphs into its own character. These two practices inform each other: I have made sculptures that I can translate back into paintings.
- What techniques do you work with?
- I mostly coil and slab build, and I like working in paper clay. During Covid, I made sculptures from brown packing paper, which now translates beautifully into my work with paper clay. I maintain origami-shaped folded forms which is great for making animal heads with facets and folds.
- Would you rather make small or big-scale objects?
- I like that my works are gradually increasing in size. I enjoy using my whole body to make my pieces. I want to be able to let my arms fly loose when I am painting. I want to be messy. I am not methodical, and I have never had an urge to be a perfectionist about anything.
Jasmine Simpson is a rising star: she began her career in 2021 and she started teaching in 2021
Where
Jasmine Simpson
