W E N D Y
T O U R N A Y
Ceramics
After graduating with a BA Hons in Ceramics with Glass Design my first job was as a Shape Designer for Prinknash Abbey Pottery. Whilst there I saw oversaw my 'east meets west' range of tableware, designed on my degree course, going into production as well as developing a whole new range of contemporary giftware. I spent time working in each department on the factory floor in order to understand the possibilities as well as the limitations of the factory production process. This was an invaluable experience and insight into the world of production ceramics.
I returned to study a Masters at Staffordshire University in Ceramic Design for Production following which I won many awards for my new collections of work including Jaguar Product Design Award and Johnson Matthey Shape Design Award. I later went on to also gain a PGCE in Art & Design and have spent the last 20 years teaching Art & Design, Product Design and Ceramic Design in Schools, University and at MAC Birmingham.
Alongside teaching, for the past 10 years I have run my contemporary ceramics practice from my home studio in Birmingham, England. Here I design, model and make by hand luxury giftware and interior products that add beauty to the home and are a joy to use everyday. Combining heritage ceramic production processes of plaster modelling, mould making & slip-casting and using the finest English Bone China my ceramics are elegant, understated and timeless and are made to last a lifetime or more.....
There are many challenges to working with such an unforgiving, fragile material as fine bone china as well as the more complex process involved in glazing each vitrified piece compared to working with other clay bodies. I design pieces that test the boundaries of these technical limitations whilst staying honest to the inherent beautiful material quality, which is delicate but strong when fired, even becoming translucent when thinly cast.
