Elaine is a handbuilder and thrower, inspired by people, places and goddess cultures. She is fascinated by contrasts in colour and textures, by the way the light falls on surfaces. Elaine will be demonstrating her handbuilding and surface techniques at Spring Gathering 2025.
She uses printmaking techniques and sgraffito to create layers on her pieces. Using foraged materials (it would be wonderful to use some of the local nature to add textures), found ’tools’, underglazes, oxides, slips and glazes to make marks.
Each piece has a narrative: they are recordings of emotions, stories and sketches working on location and from life. Each one is unique. We hope Elaine will help you to instill your emotions and stories into your pieces and that you will be inspired and ready to try out these new techniques after the weekend.
Elaine will hold two workshops:
Saturday: "Locality Vessels: I will share how I make my vessels. We will use recycled formers and simple templates to create an original Vessel. The form will be inspired by Millport, with added textures inspired by/collected from the locality. We can also use slips for colour."
Sunday: "Attitude Sculptures: I will share my techniques for making my sculptures. Working quite small (up to 20cms) everyone will build a small figurative sculpture together. Using pre-rolled slabs we will texture and draw into the surface and then build a small figure together. The textures can be from things brought, repurposed or found outside. This is a quick way to model a piece that can be fired but I also use it to sketch in 3d for bigger pieces. "
You will need to bring some of your own tools (though we will have some available as well); details will be sent out nearer the time.
https://elainehumplebyceramicartist.uk/
