GEMMA SMALE

Cluster Crafts Exhibitor| Young Talent Spotlight | 2024

Gemma Smale is an Essex based ceramic artist, a recent graduate of Ceramic Design at Central Saint Martins. Trained in wheel throwing her work includes ongoing material research with focus on hand sourced materials and continuous explorations into utilizing collected materials to create a deeper connection between consumers and ceramic art through material narratives.

Through research in ceramic traditions and regional wares she has gained insight into how to effectively use waste materials and local materials. Current experiments include the use of waste materials such as ash, iron scraps from local black smiths and clays that would otherwise end up in landfill. Focusing now on traditional methods of firing with wood to create depth of surface and one off pieces. With the objective of gradually reducing reliance on mined materials to work towards a more sustainable practice.

“My work has been a developing exploration of surface and chance within firings. Many of my glazes contain collected materials, from egg shells to wood ash. I look to highlight material narratives and how I can use them to tell a part of my own story. ”

— Gemma Smale

“My wood fired work in particular is something that really tells this material narrative, revealing some and even its position within the kiln, it continues to intrigue me. I enjoy each pieces uniqueness and unexpected occurrences that happen, this method of firing is particularly surprising and exciting, unique vessels that are transformed into something often unexpected, narrating its own tale. ”

— Gemma Smale