Claire Ireland

An established maker, Claire creates collectable objects, hand-built sculptural forms on different scales. She uses her unique studio location in the grounds of a historic Steam Museum to inspire her work.  An experienced tutor, she specialises in teaching contemporary ways of making and decorating. She is a professional member of the Craft Potters Association,  a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and Design Nation  and  author of “Surface Decoration for Ceramics” The Crowood Press (2023)”

Describe your approach to teaching:

I work in a very practical, direct way. I use examples and demonstrations to illustrate different techniques and methods of making, which helps to clarify, but also encourage individual interpretations.

What inspires your own work?
I find great enjoyment and creative impulse through making collections of found objects and natural forms. The discipline of drawing, my continuous sketchbook studies and a renewed passion for print making are of prime importance to me and are the essential components when developing ideas.