BEVERE GALLERY
MAKER'S LUNCH - February 2020 with Sarah Griffin
This
was the first of our Makers Lunches in 2020. I was delighted that Sharon
Griffin agreed to open this year's programme. She is one of a number
of makers showing at Bevere this year.
I was
immediately taken with her work when I saw it for the first time at Oxford
Ceramic Fair in 2019. Self-evidently she is a skilled sculptural ceramicist,
primarily of the human form. She particularly seeks an underlying narrative so
that one or more aspects of our lives will be evident in this remarkable work.
I have already discovered that the more time I spend with Sharon's work the
more I see in every piece. Like all work of this kind it benefits from simply
looking.
Sharon
has a background in fine art and for a number of years she painted
prolifically. She brought along prints and books which illustrated her
considerable talent … although she now focuses exclusively on her ceramic
sculpture.
Early
on during our time together, she gave a frank and open insight into her
extraordinary early life involving considerable family trauma. We were all left
with admiration at the way her innate talent had broken through and her
artistic ambition had overcome many personal difficulties.
Clay
is her canvas now and interestingly there is a sense with most of her work that
she is sketching in clay – this is why looking closely at individual pieces is
so revealing. She is currently thinking about making larger work and also
working in bronze – a material which she admires. She spent time discussing her
approach to clay and the use of different clays for her pieces including
porcelain, which is of course not easy to work with although the outcome is
stunning.
Sharon
has lived in Telford all her life and she is clearly influenced by the
communities that surround her, whether they be rural or industrial particularly
the heritage of places like Ironbridge. Sharon is highly sensitive to her
environment and is a close observer of people. All of this and her life to date
have contributed significantly to her inspirational work.
https://beveregallery.com/artists-makers/sharon_griffin/
This
was a most enjoyable two hours with Sharon and we are particularly grateful
that she gave up part of her Birthday to be with us.
Do
come to Bevere and see her work if you can, you will not be disappointed.
