Cornwall Ceramics and Glass Group...Catherine Jope and Craig Carsley

Catherine Jope
Growing up in the country I have developed a deep fascination and respect for the natural world, the incredible perfection and balance contained within such a diverse and intricate environment.
My work is inspired through the exploration of organic forms such as fossil, rock and shell formation, protection within nature, the relationship between the interior and exterior.
I abstract different elements of these images, enabling me to build a variety of curious sculptural objects.
The early stages of making suggests the vessel; then through further abstraction I find my work dealing more with sculptural concerns.
I aim to evoke in the viewer through a visual and tactile experience elements of curiosity, intrigue and wonder.

Craig Carsley
My exploration of the human form centres on the diversity of emotion, aiming to reflect both strength and fragility. I am fascinated by the way that the figure contains such a volume of expression, from a subtle gesture, a quiet contemplative thought, through to an explosion of dynamic movement.
My figures are freely modelled as though sketched. I use a variety of techniques when building, usually depending on the scale or composition of the piece. Smaller figures are initially made solid, and later hollowed out, while larger pieces are built using a method utilising both pinching and coiling. This manner of working enables me to capture the tension, the movement and the overall essence of the subject.