Rachel Wood: Ceramics

Rachel Wood makes a range of stoneware vessels with heavily textured surfaces, swathed with layers of slip and glaze to create depth and mystery. The marks from fingers, tools and making processes have always been an intrinsic part of the character of each work.

'I want each pot to convey its own spirit and character... to have a pulse and a heartbeat. I want the marks to reflect the journey of exploration and learning in each pot, just as a wrinkle or dimple depicts expression and character in a human face. The impulsive desire we all have to want to touch, and the inherent emotional need to be touched, underpins the technical, creative and emotional foundations of my work. My personal intuitive touch is an integral part of these pots - a dent in the soft clay, a tear, rip, and a finger or handprint in the glaze. I also love to explore the rhythm and movement of throwing clay on a wheel, excited by the freshness and spontaneity of the results.'