Anna Donovan

Working mainly with stoneware smooth crank clay for its hand building properties and porcelain for its surface quality, I use clay to try to tell stories through creating figurative sculptures and vessels. The story that each piece has to tell reveals itself and evolves throughout the making process.I credit my time working as a prop maker and scenic painter as a huge influence on my practice. Other significant influences include many previous visits to the Victoria & Albert Museum and Pit Rivers; trips to Italy, Greece; most things Renaissance; myths and folklore. There is a slight edginess to my work that can sometimes challenge the observer, but there is also often humour to be found as well.

Q&A

Artist Statement

Anna works as a ceramics and mixed media artist. She works
on a range of sizes making small figures, functional vessels, and jewellery at
one end and large-scale figurative, sculptural works at the other. Starting
with stoneware crank, Anna exploits the expressive nature and sturdiness of the
clay through a combination of hand building and press moulding, often incorporating
contrasting textures. These are derived from directly manipulating into the
surface of the clay, applying slips at different stages and a variety of
glazes, often layered, conjuring up the rich aesthetics of erosion and
corrosion that in itself suggests a story, a timeline.Choosing to use the human form as the basic foundation onto
which she builds narratives, Anna explores the projection of an identity and
the power of body language, even the most subtle. These narratives can evolve
throughout the whole making process, there is rarely a definitive plan of how a
piece will end up.

Another
common element of her work is mixed media, attached at the end of the making
process, including old rusty metal, parts of dolls or costume jewellery. This provides
another contrasting layer of texture, context, or form, be it representing a
body part or a character affirming prop.

What craft do you work with?

Growing up I always knew I would be involved in visual arts in some shape or form. However, I didn’t know it would be ceramics until I had tried many different mediums. Then after I had finished my ceramics degree in the mid 90s I found myself working in theatre as a scenic painter and props maker, thinking that was me. Eventually I realised I missed making for me and in 2017 I fell back in love with clay.At the moment I would say I enjoy all aspects of my process.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

Clay is an amazingly versatile material with unending possibilities.

How do you start your creative process?

Sketching, playing, building, experimenting, making texture on purpose and accidentally.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

I do love my studio but I could do with more space, that said it is one thing I could not do without.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

Yes, so many.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

Stick to your own vision, be patient with yourself and have an open mind.