Dee Hardwicke, ceramic artist

ABOVE: Dee works on a diverse range of commissions; she has a passion for colour as you can see in this array of tessera or mosaic pieces.

Naomi Jones chats to Dee Hardwicke, a ceramic artist who is influenced by both town and country environments.

How would you describe your craft?
I’m a fine art ceramicist, combining colour, pattern and texture to create decorative work surfaces, and wall and floor coverings in the form of tiles and mosaics. I also produce garden mosaics and church icons, along with contemporary and functional tableware.

Did you have any specific training?
Yes, I studied fine art painting and sculpture at Glasgow School of Art before embarking on an apprenticeship with potters in Monmouthshire. I’ve always interpreted the world around me creatively, but those two experiences gave me the foundation, skills and environments to progress my ideas.

ABOVE (left-right): Dee's beautiful Snowdrops tile has an Art Nouveau feel; Jaunty new mugs have been produced in association with Churchill China.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
For bespoke commissions, I like to talk to the client in depth to find out the sort of things that appeal to them, specifically colours and forms. But most of my patterns are inspired by a combination of the two different environments that surround me: my home is in the Welsh countryside, but my studio is based in urban Monmouth. Each setting provides constant visual stimulation: foliage, trees, flowers, insects; and the lines and grids of human construction and architecture. I think the range of tiles called Garden City that I designed for Fired Earth really express that combination of town and country living.

What is the making process for your pieces?
After talking to the customer and discussing ideas, occasionally I’ll set to work straight on to the clay; but more often, I’ll begin drawing. Here I can play around with ideas, contrasting vivid tones with subtler hues, and graphic lines with naturalistic forms. When I’m happy with the design, I cut each tile or tessera (mosaic piece) by hand from wet and rolled out clay, then paint them with specially mixed ceramic slips. They’re then glazed and fired up to three times to achieve the density of colour and surface texture that I’m after.

ABOVE (left-right): This is part of the large outdoor feature designed and made by Dee for Wigmore Abbey; Dee’s distinctive tiles for Fired Earth – comprising the Garden City range, costing £16.96 each and available at firedearth.com – were inspired by both urban and rural environments.

Could you tell us about some of your favourite projects?
It was great to be asked to produce an outdoor feature for Wigmore Abbey in Herefordshire, and a triptych of Saint David that’s installed in Monmouth School’s chapel. And I was honoured to be invited to make a mosaic plaque that will be presented to the winning author of the 2011 Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing in May. I’ve also made commemorative tiles that will be given to the judges, runners-up and other people instrumental to the event. To make the design extra special, I incorporated 18 carat gold lustre scrolls over the body pattern, which features an olive motif.

What else is in store for you this year?
I’m working on an exciting collaboration with Churchill China on a series of intricately patterned and richly coloured mug designs.

For details on Dee’s work call 07791 109008 or visit deehardwicke.co.uk. Prices start at £20 for a tile.

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WORDS NAOMI JONES
Featured in the May 2011 issue of Period Living