Student Focus: Canterbury Degree Show 2017

Earlier this month Paul Bailey explored the Canterbury Christ Church University Degree Show in ceramics, he shares his highlights.

The Degree Show is held across two sites in Canterbury and is shared with the fine arts students at the Sidney Cooper Gallery. To try and profile all of the ceramic students here is not possible, so I make reference to just three of them.

 

Above: Ceramics by Sophia Faraway

Sophia Faraway has an eye for detail like a painter. She expresses her work in porcelain, using throwing, coiling, slip-casting and hand building techniques. The work is delicate and intriguing.

 

Above: Ceramics by Penny Watts

Penny Watts has a massive display of work concerned with recycling of the tangible and the intangible. She uses ceramics and printmaking adding to her background in textiles.

 

Above: Ceramics by Maria Brayshaw

Thirdly is Maria Brayshaw whose work explores natural organic textures. She mainly uses raku for firing, contrasted against a blackened dry carbonized clay.

It should be a fine example of the arts being alive in the region; but that is not the case, because in the future the Arts Faculty is due to be closed.   There has been a ceramics course in Canterbury for over 50 years. A sign of the times, or one of shortsightedness?

Note: Paul Bailey is editor of Emerging Potters magazine.