Lorna Fraser

I am a ceramicist creating porcelain one-off pieces, small series of works and site-specific installations inspired by the botanical world.

Q&A

Artist Statement

I work primarily with porcelain combining traditional hand-built and industrial mould-making techniques to create unique one-off pieces, small series of works and site-specific installations. A very significant moment in my practice was when I got my first garden. It was winter and I was inspired by the incredible stark shapes I could see around me. The infinite array of forms in the botanical world continue to fascinate me. My work explores the sculptural quality of plants, responding to their structure while selecting favourite composite shapes in order to create my own ‘hybrids’. I also draw inspiration from the huge collection of pressed plant specimens, impressive seed pods and pickled flowers and fruits stored in the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. In 2019 I was one of four artists invited to take part in an amazing project which brought us together with scientists from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh to experiment with the possibilities of transferring sustainable, recyclable and environmentally responsible plastics from the laboratory into artworks. I worked with many different laboratory plastics as well as a long forgotten “natural plastic” Gutta percha, a latex produced by the tropical tree species Palaquium gutta and a key research focus for RBGE. After working with clay for so many years, using completely new materials took me out of my comfort zone presenting me with a whole new way of thinking about my practice and made me address how I can be more sustainable in my practice. The resulting exhibition “Think Plastic: Materials and Making” used art to convey the message that the planet cannot sustain single use plastics.

What craft do you work with?

I am a ceramic artist who loves to hand-build with porcelain clay.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

I fell in love with clay many years ago when I attended Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, Scotland. As soon as I was introduced to clay I knew that I was on a path that I would never leave. It is now so much a part of who I am that I can’t image a life without it.

How do you start your creative process?

I start with rough sketches and a lot of thinking time. Then I like to make small porcelain maquettes before I move on to make the final piece.

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

I start with rough sketches and a lot of thinking time. Then I like to make small porcelain maquettes before I move on to make the final piece.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I’m very interested in printmaking techniques and applying them to clay.

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

I think it’s vital to share knowledge and skills and pass them on to hopefully inspire the next generations of makers.