Artist statement
I make hand-built decorative ceramic forms for the interior in stoneware and earthenware clays. I have recently developed a new range of pieces, using new clays and glazes.
The bowl shapes are formed by smoothing flat sheets of clay into hand made plaster press-moulds. I then scrape the forms with tools and 'pinch' the rims to achieve a delicate feel. The larger enclosed vessel forms are press-moulded in seperate parts, which I then assemble, adding short necks using the coiling method.
Inspiration for my simple vessel forms comes from a myriad of influences from the natural world including rocks and minerals, birds’ eggs, and aged, weathered surfaces.
After an initial biscuit firing to 1000ºC, I apply oxides and then dip, pour and brush on a variety of glazes to achieve a range of intense colours and tactile textures and finally fire the work at 1050ºC in an electric kiln. Each piece is unique.
I graduated in 1999 with a BA (Hons) in Decorative Arts from Nottingham Trent University, where I specialised in ceramics in my final year. I gained a 7307 Certificate in FE Teaching (Stage 1) in 2002, and taught pottery classes to a variety of ages and abilities from 2000 - 2010 at Hands On Pottery, in Sherwood, Nottingham.
I received a grant and a loan from the Princes Youth Business Trust in 2003 which enabled me to buy the essential equipment I needed to set up my business - Emma Williams Ceramics. I currently share studio space with 8 other artists at Nottingham Artists' Group studios in Nottingham city centre.
I am a member of the Northern Potters Association, and the Crafts Council's National Register of Makers.
I regularly stock the following galleries:
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Royal Exchange Theatre Craftshop - Manchester, Bluecoat Display Centre - Liverpool, Serena Hall Gallery - Southwold, Suffolk, Sea Pictures Gallery - Clare, Nr. Sudbury, Suffolk, Blandscliff Gallery - Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
Current and forthcoming events
- March - May 2013: 'Natural Selection', Ferrers Gallery, Ferrers Centre for the Arts and Crafts, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire (more info)
- June 2013: Sherwood Art Week Craft Fair, United Reformed Church, 1 Edwards Lane, Sherwood, Nottingham (more info)
- July - September 2013: Summer Exhibition, Pyramid Gallery, 43 Stonegate, York (more info)
- July - September 2013: 'Natural Selection', Gallery Top, Chatsworth Road, Rowsley, Matlock, Derbyshire (more info)
Public realm
- 2013 Lady Bay Arts Festival 2013, Lady Bay, West Bridgford, Nottingham (more info)
Group exhibitions
- 2013 Contemporary Ceramics and Photography, Sea Pictures Gallery, Well Lane, Clare, Suffolk (more info)
- 2012 A Festive Feast, Sea Pictures Gallery, Well Lane, Clare, Suffolk (more info)
- 2012 Northern Potters @ Rufford 2012, Rufford Craft Gallery, Rufford Abbey Country Park, Near Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2012 Autumn Contemporary Craft Collection, New Ashgate Gallery, Waggon Yard, Farnham, Surrey (more info)
- 2012 Lady Bay Arts Festival, 164 Trent Boulevard, Lady Bay, West Bridgford, Nottingham (more info)
- 2011 'Make' Contemporary Crafts for Christmas, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey, Devon (more info)
- 2011 Melbourne Festival Art Trail 2011, 'Cream Interiors', 33 Derby Road, Melbourne, South Derbyshire (more info)
- 2011 Da3 Pop-up Shop, Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham (more info)
- 2011 Applied Arts/ Crafts Case Show, Oriel Wrecsam, Rhosddu Road, Wrexham (more info)
- 2010 "and a Partridge in a Pear Tree" The Creative Greenhouse Christmas Gift Shop, Rufford Gallery, Rufford Craft Centre, Rufford Abbey Country Park, Nr. Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2010 'Make', The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey, Devon (more info)
- 2010 'Seaside', Thoresby Gallery, Thoresby Courtyard, Thoresby Park, Nr. Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2010 Art By The Sea 2010, St Edmunds Hall, Cumberland Road, Southwold, Suffolk (more info)
- 2010 Sea Nature, Sea Pictures Gallery, Well Lane, Clare, Suffolk. (more info)
- 2010 Fossils: Images in Stone, The Haven Gallery, 2 South Square, Boston, Lincolnshire (more info)
- 2010 Inspired by Nottingham Lace Showcase, Debbie Bryan Studio and Shop, 18 St. Mary's Gate, The Lace Market, Nottingham (more info)
- 2009 'Withers Gallery at Wolterton Hall', Wolterton Hall, Norwich, Norfolk (more info)
- 2009 'Ceramics Collection', The Art Works Galleries, Newcastle Upon Tyne. (more info)
- 2008 'Rufford Unwrapped', Rufford Craft Centre Gallery, Nr. Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2008 'Swell', The Gallery West Kilbride, West Kilbride, Ayrshire (more info)
- 2007 Rufford Presents, Rufford Craft Centre Gallery, Nottinghamshire
- 2007 Fired Up, Ferrers Gallery, Staunton Harold, Leicestershire
- 2007 'Celebrating Creativity!', VIEW from the top, 4th floor, Waterstones, Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham
- 2006 'Christmas Presents', Halifax Visitor Centre and Art Gallery, Piece Hall, Halifax, Yorkshire
- 2006 Going Potty, Royal Exchange Theatre Craft Shop, Manchester
- 2006 Spring Exhibition, The Hunter Gallery, Long Melford, Suffolk
- 2005 Gorgeous Gifts for Christmas, View From The Top Gallery, Nottingham
- 2005 Open Exhibition, The City Gallery, Leicester
- 2004 Im-Print, The Beetroot Tree Gallery, Draycott, Derbyshire
- 2004 Ceramic Open 2004, The Bracknell Gallery, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire
- 2003 Winter Exhibition 2003, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
- 2003 Open Exhibition, City Gallery, Leicester
- 2002 Made at Rufford, Rufford Country Park Craft Centre, Nottinghamshire
- 2001 Lady Bay Open Studios, Lady Bay, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
- 2000 Open Exhibition, The City Gallery, Leicester
- 1999 The New Designers Exhibition Part One, The Business Design Centre, London
Residencies
- 2001 Rufford Ceramics Centre Residency, Rufford Ceramics Centre, Nottinghamshire
Other
- 2013 North Somerset Arts Week, Beach Pottery, 14 The Beach, Clevedon (more info)
- 2013 British Craft Trade Fair, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate (more info)
- 2012 Marketplace Contemporary Craft Fair, mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham (more info)
- 2012 Harley Arts Market, The Harley Gallery, Welbeck, Worksop, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2012 Sherwood Christmas Contemporary Craft Fair, The Place, 2a Melrose Street, Sherwood, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2012 Crafts for Christmas, Southwell Minster, Church Street, Southwell, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2012 Melbourne Festival Art Trail 2012, 65 Castle Street, Melbourne, South Derbyshire (more info)
- 2012 Secret Garden Craft Fair, United Reform Church, 1 Edwards Lane, Sherwood, Nottingham (more info)
- 2011 'Craft in the City', Waterstone's Bookshop, 1/5 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham (more info)
- 2011 Marketplace Contemporary Craft Fair, mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham (more info)
- 2011 Sherwood Contemporary Craft Market, 'The Place' 2a Melrose Street, Sherwood, Nottingham (more info)
- 2011 Southwell Minster Winter Craft Fair, Southwell Minster, Church Street, Southwell, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2011 The Secret Garden Craft Fair 2011, The United Reform Church, 1 Edwards Lane, Sherwood, Nottingham (more info)
- 2010 Marketplace Contemporary Craft Fair, Mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham (more info)
- 2010 The Place Christmas Contemporary Craft Market, The Place, 2a Melrose Street, Sherwood, Nottingham (more info)
- 2010 Southwell Minster Winter Craft Fair, Southwell Minster, Church Street, Southwell, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2010 Melbourne Festival Art Trail, 65 Castle Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire (more info)
- 2010 Sherwood Art Week Craft Fair 2010, 'Secret Garden', United Reform Church, 1 Edwards Lane, Sherwood, Nottingham (more info)
- 2010 The Art Market, Holmfirth Indoor Art Market, Hollowgate, Holmfirth (more info)
- 2010 Open Lady Bay Arts and Community Festival 2010, School Yard, Lady Bay Primary School, Trent Boulevard, Lady Bay, West Bridgford, Nottingham (more info)
- 2010 Mint. Made in Nottingham Trent, Mint, Upper Mall, Victoria Centre, Nottingham (more info)
- 2010 SOCK, Loughborough Town Hall, Market Place, Loughborough, Leicestershire (more info)
- 2009 Winterfest Art 09, Thoresby Courtyard, Thoresby Park, Newark, Nottinghamshire (more info)
- 2009 Southwell Minster Winter Craft Fair, Southwell Minster, Southwell, Nottinghamshire
- 2009 Design Circus 'Pop-Up Shop', 4 Albert Road, Nr. Central Avenue, West Bridgford, Nottingham (more info)
- 2009 Melbourne Festival Art Trail 2009, Melbourne, Derbyshire, Melbourne (more info)
- 2009 Nottingham Summer Gift and Craft Market, Long Row, Nottingham., Nottingham. (more info)
- 2009 'Earth and Fire', Rufford Abbey Country Park, Nr. Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire. (more info)
- 2009 'Ceramics in the Round', The Devonshire Dome, Buxton, Derbyshire. (more info)
- 2008 Christmas Gift Market, View from the Top Gallery, Waterstones book shop, Nottingham (more info)
- 2008 Harley Christmas Art Market, The Harley Gallery, Welbeck, Worksop, Notts. (more info)
- 2008 Winterfest Art 08, Thoresby Gallery, Thoresby Park, Nr. Ollerton, Nottinghamshire. (more info)
- 2008 Wirksworth Festival - Arts Marketplace, Memorial Hall, St. Johns Street., Wirksworth, Derbyshire. (more info)
- 2008 'Earth and Fire' Ceramics Festival, Rufford Country Park, Nottinghamshire
- 2008 'Ceramics in the Round', The Dome, Buxton, Derbyshire
- 2007 Contemporary Craft Fair, Mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham.
- 2007 'Winterfest' - Thoresby Christmas Art Market, Thoresby Gallery, Thoresby, Nottinghamshire
- 2007 Southwell Minster Winter Craft Fair, Southwell Minster, Southwell, Nottinghamshire
- 2007 'Earth and Fire' ceramics festival, Rufford Country Park, Nottinghamshire
Web links - gallery/work/projects
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