Artist Focus: Terri Smart

"I took up ceramics in 1990 when I was working as an architect in Hong Kong.  The feel of the clay and my delight in making a structured piece out of a formless lump became more and more important in my life as I became familiar with the medium.

On my return to England in 1994 I set up my own workshop, joined the Wey Ceramics Society and obtained a City and Guilds certificate in ceramics.  I regularly take part in Surrey Artists Open Studios.

 In 2000 I helped set up Kaleidoscope, an applied arts cooperative for locally based artists, which held its first exhibition at the Windsor Street Gallery, Chertsey, that year.  Since then we have shown together many times, at places such as Guildford House Gallery, Denbies Wine Estate Gallery, Dorking, Cranleigh Arts Centre, the Riverhouse Barn, Walton-on-Thames, and the Fountain Gallery, Hampton Court. 

Two years ago we exhibited at the prestigious Orangery Gallery in Holland Park, London.

 

                   

New ideas generally come to me in the middle of the night, and then I can't wait to get into the studio and work directly with the clay.  I am influenced by natural elements such as wind and water and I like to emphasise the contrasts between nature and man.  Most of my work is hand-built in textured stoneware clays, and decorated with coloured slips, oxides and glazes before firing to 1260°C.

I am a member of Surrey Sculpture Society and the Surrey Guild of Craftsmen".