Ceri White

Ceri is a ceramicist combining traditional skills, craftsmanship and playful design, creating contemporary and collectable pieces. After training at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, Ceri worked in various ceramic studios developing her craft before establishing her own studio practice in 2002.

Ceri has explored many techniques and currently works with high quality white earthenware, mostly thrown on the potter’s wheel. Her decorative and functional work is recognisable by fun, colourful, graphic patterns and forms, her own visual interpretation in the ceramic medium.

Aesthetic

The distinctive designs are clean, crisp and lively, often with a retro vibe inspired by Ceri's love of the contemporary post war decor and objects of her childhood, which ignited her creative spark and interest in design. Combine that with her love of the minutiae of nature and the result is Ceri's very recognisable aesthetic.

Ceri’s designs can start with recreating playful childhood doodles and motifs or the intricate shapes of a flower or seed-head, letting the design develop and flow to suit the form of each piece. Often this process stirs up memories, feelings, textures and even smells, all feeding her instinctive approach to mark making and creating. Ceri’s intent with all her work is to make it long lasting, high quality and joyful.

Practice

Work is hand thrown, trimmed and altered, ranging from tiny ‘Totey Vases’ ideal for a single stem, to larger statement vessels created from two joined forms, making fruit bowls, plant holders or vases, or stand alone striking objects.

Decoration starts when the clay is unfired and leather hard, by applying predominantly black and white liquid clay slips, either piped like icing or painted on and then using the sgraffito method, scratched back to reveal the design. This freehand process begins with a loose pattern in mind, yet motifs often change and evolve to suit the form of the piece and build over time. Having gone through the first firing, removed and cooled, the pieces are dipped in a transparent glaze and areas of brightly coloured glazes are carefully applied before the final firing.

Glazing is the most fiddly part and work goes into the kiln looking dull and muted, the heat of the kiln works it’s magic and Ceri’s favourite part is seeing how each piece looks when finally removed. The finished artworks pop with colour and are often even more fresh and vibrant than hoped for.