Artists > Mary-Jane Evans
Mary-Jane Evans Personal Statement
The main theme of Mary-jane's work is the transformation of materials which echo the metaphorical forces, substance and history within the Dorset landscape where shewas born. Pushing materials to extremes is central to her work and she uses the kiln as a time machine to scar and erode her peices, using corrosive materials which enables her to capture fragments of time.
With her wall pieces she first carves and chisils into them working from photographic images and sketches. She then adds layers of glazes, oxides, copper, engobes, porcelain, glass and found objects and fires these to 1300 degrees. Each piece sits on a bed of sand. After that first firing she responds to what has happened in the kiln and adds more layers and refires maybe twice more before she achieves the desired effect. She can never predict exactly how a piece will turn out and she is constantly experimenting.
Through these mult-firings she aims to capture the testure of the coastline that she loves.
The work has led her into other areas. The porcelain bowls and wall pieces are hand built and again she carves into each piece and uses corrosive materials to create texture and depth. Every piece is hand built and each layer has to dry before adding the next. Using this method she is able to created the delicate paper thin edges. Each piece has about twenty layers of very thin clay. She makes the clay herself from liquid porcelain and paper. Education
2001-2004 B.A. (Hons) First Class in Three Dimensional design - Ceramics
at University College for the Creative Arts, Farnham, Surrey.
Other Qualifications
1999 City & Guilds 7802 Creative Skills Certificate - Ceramics
2001 City & Guilds 7900 Creative Skills Certificate - Ceramics
Competitions
October 2002 Winner of International Takifuji Art Award - Tokyo
June 2004 Nominated for Setting Out with Craft Potters Association
1999 Winner of Medal of Excellence awarded by City & Guilds 7802
1999 Winner of City & Guilds ' Futures 100' compeition receiving
£10,000 bursary to spend on workshop facilities and equipment
1999 Nominated for Medal of Excellence City & Guilds 7900 Part One
August 2008 Gallery LeFort Fine Art, Bath
August 2008 Bute Space, Cardiff
July 2008 Workshop Wales, Fishguard
June/July 2008 Victoria Art Gallery - Bath Society of Artists Summer Exhibition
June 2008 Contemporary Craft Fair Bovery Tracy
June 2008 Open Studio at Widcombe Studios
June 2008 Bath and West Show
February 2008 The Creative Gallery, Dorset
December 2007 Out of the Blue Gallery, Bath
December 2007 Open Studios at Widcombe Studios, Bath
Nov/Dec 2007 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol - Winter Exhibition
June 2007 Solo Show Kingswood School
June 2007 Church House Designs, Congesbury
May 2007 Bristol Affordable Art Fair
March 2007 Earth Gallery, Poole, Dorset
March 2007 Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London
January 2007 Earth-Land-Sea at Foss Fine Art, Clapham, London
November 2006 The Great Art Fair, Alexandra Palace, London
August 2006 Out of the Blue Gallery, Bath
July 2006 Group Show Trinity Group, Walcot Street Chapel
July 2006 Solo Show, Kingswood School, Bath
June 2006 Grand Designs, Excel Centre, London
February 2006 Black Swan Arts, Frome - Open exhibition
December 2005 Solo Exhibition, Kingswood School, Bath
September 2005 Group Show Trackside Gallery, London
July 2005 'Seascape' Bettles Gallery, Ringwood
May 2005 Crouch End Open Studios, London
February 2005 Overton Contemporary Art, Overton
July 2004 New Designers at Business Design Centre, Islington, London
2004 End of Year Degree Show at Surrey Inst. of Art and Design
2004 End of Year Show, Poole College of Art and Design- City &
Guilds 7800
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