Rachel Wood makes individual pieces using stoneware clay, which are coiled, slabbed or thrown, and frequently distorted during the process. The natural spontaneous qualities of the clay are important to her so that each pot conveys its own spirit and character. She wants her pots to have a pulse and a heartbeat; hence she works in a very free and unrestrained way. Her recent travels in Australia and working with potter, Robin Welch, have been pivotal in her development. The colours, shapes and the textures of the landscape, in particular the Dark Peak areas around Kinder, Derbyshire, provide constant inspiration.
“My personal intuitive touch is an integral part of these pots – a dent in the soft clay, a tear, rip, and a finger or handprint in the glaze. I want the marks to reflect the journey of exploration and learning in each pot, just as a wrinkle depicts expression and character in a human face. The scratch of a metal kidney, the groove of a wooden twig, a sweep of a brush, they all create a linear dynamic on the surface of the pot. Some are deliberate, some incidental; none are removed, as they are all part and parcel of the pot’s character. It is inspired by the strong need we all have to be touched.”
To view the exhibition catalogue please click here
