From the flames

Words by Hannah Tapping

Unique, contemporary hand-built statement pieces, that each carry a story of their own.

Christina Feltham is a mixed-media ceramic artist with a background in brand design. Having lived by the coast in both Australia and now Cornwall, her work has always been inspired by the connection between land and sea. “My work is sculptural in form, a playful balance of shapes reminiscent of those formed by the erosion of the ocean,” says Christina. “Standing tall, precariously balanced, showing strength beside fragility, the raw colour palette echoing Cornwall’s mineral rich landscape.”

The connection to the land is further enhanced by Christina’s unique firing process. Exploring the relationship between both form and finish, each vessel is fired using the traditional method of barrel firing – an ancient firing practice that has been used for centuries. This technique allows elements of nature to be permanently imprinted onto the vessels, each totally unique in colour and pattern depending on how the flames have interacted.

The process begins with a slab-and-coil built piece being carefully loaded into the barrel along with locally foraged combustibles, including driftwood and their inherent iron nails, seaweed and cuttle fish bone. “I have developed my own way of working that reveals a soft blush of colour as it follows the path of the fire across each piece of work, showcasing the smoky trail of the foraged combustibles,” adds Christina. “Each element of the firing process is carefully thought through; the position of the vessel within the barrel, the layering of combustibles around each piece and the amount of smoke produced during the firing. Even though so much thought and time is given to this, nature still leads the way and the final results are always a rewarding surprise.”

After firing, the vessels are cleaned and then polished with a local beeswax to enhance the natural colour and shine, the signature addition of copper detailing, linking back to Cornwall’s industrial mining heritage. “Every element

of my work holds a story. From the name Tucana – inspired by the evening firings, it is derived from a constellation containing one of the brightest globular clusters in the sky – to how each sketch and form is inspired and finished with copper. Through the firing process, the foraged items seem to come full circle, embedding a colour palette and pattern that reflects their own small piece of history within the landscape from whence they came. I feel that each unique piece captures a snapshot of the beauty of Cornwall.”

tucanaceramics.com