About Katherine Kingdom
I use clay to make figurative sculptures and illustrated vessels and am always looking for meaning in the random and irrelevant. The work I make is small, carefully crafted and delights in imperfections. I spend time with each piece considering how to best show its character - not cleaning up and hiding its individuality, but looking for ways of emphasising that which it is. I throw and tear and stick, working with both plan and chance then look and think and hunt for possibilities. From these possibilities characters and stories evolve.
Whether it’s vessels or figures, my current work is all about character and storytelling. I hand build with an off-white stoneware clay and aim for a looseness of style which celebrates the nature of the material and exposes something of the techniques used. I enjoy the ‘in the moment’ creative decisions that have to be made when working in this way. It’s what makes each piece unique. I also aim for an element of ambiguity in my subject matter, suggesting a narrative, but allowing the viewer enough space to question, interpret and begin to create their own narrative.