Sara Dodd
height 4 x width 8 1/2 x 1/2 in
height 10.2 x width 21.6 x 1.3 cm
Float mount / Frame:
height 10 x width 14 x 2 in
height 25.4 x width 35.6 x 5.1 cm
Further images
Biography: Sara Dodd is an award winning ceramic artist living and working in London. She is a graduate of Cardiff Metropolitan University (2013) after which she held an assistant position with Katharine Morling. Her artwork ‘Swell’ was exhibited at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition (2017) where it enjoyed a highly successful run and went on to be featured in Elle Decoration (2019). She received an honourable mention at the International KOGEI Crafts Awards, Japan (2021), and her ‘Monochrome Maquette' was awarded with a 3D Art Prize at the Wales Contemporary Open (2022).
In 2021 Sara joined the Craft Potters Association (CPA) and Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA), in recognition of the high quality of her craftsmanship. In 2022 she was invited to join the ranks of Homo Faber, a collection of the best artisans and makers from across Europe where she was labelled a 'Rising Star’ representing the future of craftsmanship with her novel take.
In 2022 Sara received the Rosalind Stracey Ceramics Award from Cockpit Arts and moved her studio to Deptford, South East London. Her work is exhibited regularly across the UK as well as internationally in Europe, USA and the Middle East.
"I paint intuitively with porcelain clay in its liquid form, slip, reimagining this traditional material into wafer thin strata of beauty, delicacy and strength. Working intuitively and meditatively, I layer these to create a canvas of pattern, contrast and harmony.
I add pigments by hand to liquid clay, experimenting methodically to create the fluid palette of indistinguishable colour gradients that often feature in my work. Firing the clay itself is important tool - the extreme temperatures inside the kiln creates unpredictable moves and shifts. Embracing this dynamism, my pieces capture a moment in time from the firing. Each outcome is a balance of design and chance, capturing freedom and individuality.
The luminosity and palette of the sky inspires me - whether a passing moment of sunlight hitting an object or a more detailed study at dusk or dawn. It could be a colour combination, or a quality of light. I keep my eyes open to discover and absorb the things that surround me. Light also creates intimacy in my pieces - torn uneven edges of porcelain catch the light and are illuminated, while simultaneously casting shadow to the layer behind. This play of light draws the eye, directing it from one layer to the next.
My reference points are diverse ones, united by materiality and process – a Peter Collingwood weave, traditional dye techniques such as Shibori, architecture and the seeming simplicity of Japanese aesthetic. I sense the humility of materials. To work with clay and take a wet, malleable material from the earth, fire it and create something permanent in ceramic is a privilege." (Sara Dodd)