Leonora's ceramics studio preparing soil pigments

About

My ceramic practice is a visual manifestation and interpretation of the theme of Art & Science within the landscape and its biodynamic cycles.

This is a research based on observations, experiments and transformations aimed at finding a way to use the soil as medium. It naturally develops in to the theme of space, time and location as a path to communicate through local raw material and resources in the attempt to capture the wonder, the colours and the unexpected surprises of the soil alchemy.

A process that involves collecting soil from various locations and then turning the dry soil into soil pigments. In an  intuitive and spontaneous artistic approach embracing opportunities and effects in order to reach a deep understanding of the possibilities inherent in soil.

Experiments are carried out on soil pigments, porcelain powder, oxides and glazing reactions to find different artistic possibilities. I am especially interested in observing the reactions between all these different materials when they contact each other in layers under varying temperatures.  These observed reactions have exciting shapes, contours and edges that are developed through the understanding of how each material creates a surface and how it behaves in controlled fired conditions.

Bio

Leonora lives and works in London. 

She has graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 2011 with a First Class Honours Degree in Ceramic Design.

Since graduating from her BA she has set up her ceramics studio in North London. 

She has exhibited in many Art fairs in London, such as the London Design Festival and Craft Pavilion.

In 2021 she has completed her Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art.

It was during her Masters that she has stepped into new opportunities and has been exposed to new artistic critical thinking processes, allowing her to expand into the process of approaching a pure and experimental practice with different materials that go through a series of alchemy and transformation in the kiln during the firing process. She has discovered the passion for research, capturing space, time and location, investigating artist glazing and the technical qualities of ceramics. Combining soil pigments with her ceramic art, using the landscape as a source of inspiration.

CV

Leonora Richardson

Ceramics Artist & Designer

Email: leo.richardson@network.rca.ac.uk

Website: www.lrichardsonceramic.co.uk

Education:

2019 - 2021

Masters Degree in Ceramics and Glass, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2008 - 2011

BA (Honours) Ceramic Design - (1st), Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London, UK

2007 - 2008

Art and Design Foundation, The Institute, London, UK

Exhibitions:

2021  Ceramics & Glass Degree Show - Royal College of Art / Cromwell Place, London, UK

2021  Ceramics & Glass Online Degree Show - Royal College of Art, London, UK

2021  Sketch - Hosted by Preston Fitzgerald, London, UK

2021  The Power of Material: From Virtual to Physical - The Design Museum, London, UK

2020  WIP Show - Royal College of Art, London, UK

2016  Craft Pavilion  - Crafts Council - TENT, London, UK

2016  Top Drawer, London, UK

2015  TENT, London, UK

2013  Designer Craft & Art Fair, London, UK

2012  Summer Exhibition - Royal Academy, London, UK

2012 -Jiq Jaq Gallery, London, UK

2011  British Ceramics Biennial, Stock On Trent, UK

2011  New Designers - Business Design Centre, London, UK

2011  Pulse, London, UK

2011  Ceramics Design Degree Show - Central Saint Martins, London, UK

2011  “The Physics of Life” - Gulbenkian de Ciencias, Portugal

Press + Publications

2021  Emerging Potters #24

2012  The Workshop Guide to Ceramics

2012  Summer Exhibition - Royal Academy