Emily Gibbard creates wheel-thrown ceramic vessels that evolve into large-scale sculptural forms. Rooted in the traditions of pottery, her work explores body perception, identity and sexuality through abstract biomorphic sculpture.
Emily says, ‘My giant voluptuous figures show both the empowerment and fragility of the female experience. I express emotional states through expressive glaze work. My background overlaps with Bourgeois through interests in anthropology and ancient goddess figures influencing the pared back, abstractions of the body. I work on a large scale with a natural material and have built a dialogue with the clay allowing it to bend and contort, just as skin would around the human body. I am fascinated by form and in my making process I revisit forms, adjusting the gradient or curve to better achieve my vision.’
Emily has exhibited at Collect and London Craft Week, received Craft Council DYCP funding, and is the Founder and Director of Windmill Clay, an artist-led ceramics studio providing workspaces, mentoring and classes.