Blackwell The Arts and Crafts House

This display explores the significance of light and darkness in their metaphorical and aesthetic manifestations within the clay form. Featuring seven works by three ceramic artists: Gordon Baldwin, Bodil Manz and Lawson Oyekan, that trace the dynamics of outer and inner space, perforations which illuminate the clay body and openings which speak of darkness and the unknown.

As part of Lakeland Arts' commitment to supporting curators at all stages of their career this display has been curator by Corinna Leenen, student placement from Leicester University.

We begin 2015 by showcasing the work of up and coming ceramic artist, Emilie Taylor. Often working with vulnerable people or those on the fringes of society, Emilie utilises her MA in psychotherapy together with her BA in Fine Art to create socially engaged ceramics. Her work combines humour, the patterns of flock wallpaper, the images of those she works with in the style of a graphic novel, all overlaid on her large scale pots. Emilie is working in such a unique manner creating ceramics which are fresh, dynamic and relevant. As an emerging artist Emilie has had considerable recognition as a ceramic artist thus far
she is currently completing an artist residency at Chatsworth in Derbyshire and has had commissions from Grizedale Arts and Sheffield Museums and Galleries. She has had three small solo exhibitions, two in Sheffield and one at the Snug Gallery in London, and so Blackwell is in the unique position to offer Emilie her first high profile exhibition.

Emilie's work will be available for sale.

This exhibition celebrates the artist Evelyn de Morgan (1855-1919), whose remarkable paintings bear the influence of early Italian Renaissance art as well as that of her Pre-Raphaelite contemporaries, yet have a distinctive style that is uniquely her own. As we commemorate the centenary of the First World War, this significant show, comprising loans from the De Morgan Foundation, will focus on de Morgan’s pacifism and reaction both to this conflict and the Boer War of 1899-1902, with many of the works having been included in the artist’s solo exhibition held in the spring of 1916 in aid of the Red Cross.