ABOUT
Artist Statement
I am an artist working with clay as my primary material on the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales. I use hand building and carving techniques to make things that sit somewhere between sculpture and craft and draw inspiration from natural objects and the landscapes around me. Curves and hollows that appear on a work serve as a reminder of the undulations of a hillside, a round seed pod or the snaking stem of a plant.
Work is never completely determined from the beginning but is adapted and altered by processes of making. I choose to work with local or traceable materials and use processes that sit gentler on our increasingly unstable planet. I’ve spent the last two years exploring outdoor smoke-firings that use carbon to colour the surface of clay rather than commercial glazes and oxides.
I am an artist working with clay as my primary material on the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales. I use hand building and carving techniques to make things that sit somewhere between sculpture and craft and draw inspiration from natural objects and the landscapes around me. Curves and hollows that appear on a work serve as a reminder of the undulations of a hillside, a round seed pod or the snaking stem of a plant.
Work is never completely determined from the beginning but is adapted and altered by processes of making. I choose to work with local or traceable materials and use processes that sit gentler on our increasingly unstable planet. I’ve spent the last two years exploring outdoor smoke-firings that use carbon to colour the surface of clay rather than commercial glazes and oxides.
Artist Bio
Gabriella Rhodes is an artist born in Stoke-on-Trent and living in North Wales. She spent much of her childhood in the mountains of Scotland and Wales which created a lasting appreciation for nature and ecology.
She graduated from Manchester School of Art in 2018 with a BA in Three Dimensional Design. Since graduating, she has focused her practice on celebrating provenance and using materials and processes to deepen her understanding of the natural environment. She was nominated for a residency at Guldagergaad Ceramic Research Centre in Denmark in 2018 where she presented works made solely from unfired clay for the first time, and was selected to take part in the Crafting Futures project between the British Council and British Ceramics Biennial in 2021.
Gabriella Rhodes CV
Gabriella Rhodes is an artist born in Stoke-on-Trent and living in North Wales. She spent much of her childhood in the mountains of Scotland and Wales which created a lasting appreciation for nature and ecology.
She graduated from Manchester School of Art in 2018 with a BA in Three Dimensional Design. Since graduating, she has focused her practice on celebrating provenance and using materials and processes to deepen her understanding of the natural environment. She was nominated for a residency at Guldagergaad Ceramic Research Centre in Denmark in 2018 where she presented works made solely from unfired clay for the first time, and was selected to take part in the Crafting Futures project between the British Council and British Ceramics Biennial in 2021.
Gabriella Rhodes CV
Materials
Every object is made with locally-sourced clay or clay that’s manufactured from 100% UK materials. Decoration comes from treatment of the clay, foraged pigments or alternative outdoor firings rather than commercial glazes and oxides. The fuel for the outdoor firings is sourced from garden clippings and a local woodworking studio, Davies Hughes & Sons, who specialise in traditional building techniques and sustainable timber. Each object is finished with a natural sealant sourced in North Wales.
Every effort is made to source studio equipment and supplies second-hand over buying new. If this isn’t possible small, local family-owned businesses are chosen whenever possible.
Responsibility
I recognise that a contemporary ceramics practice can be ecologically damaging due to its reliance on mined raw materials and energy for firings. In an effort to reduce my environmental impact and acknowledge the Indigenous ceramic communities that came before me, I have investigated each aspect of my practice, not limited to materials, processes and influences. I endeavour to be transparent with my findings and work in ways that honour the materials, the land from which they come from and our communities - past, present and future. I acknowledge that this work is ongoing and will continue to evaluate and make necessary changes in the future. If you’d like to get in touch with me to discuss any of the above, please email studio@gabriellarhodes.com.
Re–distribution
I recognise meaningful action includes reallocating funds to Black and Indigienous communities who have experienced colonisation and cultural erasure at the hands of European settlers. As of 2021, 5% of every sale will be donated to Land In Our Names, a grassroots collective working for land reparations in Britain.
How to Buy
I open my online shop throughout the year once a collection of work is finished. The next shop update will be in Spring 2023. Please sign up to the newsletter to hear about this first.
Commissions
Commissions for 2023 are currently open. Find out more and make an enquiry.
Stockists
Pophams Home, London
Form Lifestyle Store, Manchester
I open my online shop throughout the year once a collection of work is finished. The next shop update will be in Spring 2023. Please sign up to the newsletter to hear about this first.
Commissions
Commissions for 2023 are currently open. Find out more and make an enquiry.
Stockists
Pophams Home, London
Form Lifestyle Store, Manchester
Shipping
Orders placed within the UK are shipped via Royal Mail Signed For or DPD Next Day. Shipping costs are calculated at a flat rate and are presented at checkout.
All ready to ship items will be shipped within 5 business days and customers will recevie a confirmation email once their item has been shipped. Made to order items have individual lead times which vary and are stated on each product page.
Orders placed within the UK are shipped via Royal Mail Signed For or DPD Next Day. Shipping costs are calculated at a flat rate and are presented at checkout.
All ready to ship items will be shipped within 5 business days and customers will recevie a confirmation email once their item has been shipped. Made to order items have individual lead times which vary and are stated on each product page.
Packaging
All orders are shipped and packaged with materials created from recycled, biodegradable, and/or post-consumer materials. These can be reused, recycled or added to your compost, respectively.
All orders are shipped and packaged with materials created from recycled, biodegradable, and/or post-consumer materials. These can be reused, recycled or added to your compost, respectively.