Sitting sketching edges of plates, images of trees, birds and floral designs I was able to listen to visitors to the sixth floor of The V&A whilst keeping my head down and busy. The auntie who was trying to find the collection for Royal Worcester that she had designed many years ago was disappointed to find it was not on display. Plenty of enthusiastic artists brought their young children to look at the brush strokes and line drawing on plates and assorted 19th century wares. I have to say it was their interest that made me feel most alive, to look at the objects in front of me through their eyes. It was the 18th century tin glazed pieces that most inspired me, trying to capture the exact way that the cobalt had moved on the plate or dish was a challenge. The boldness of an orange or a red contrasted with a cool blue in a Chinese design gave me an excuse to move away from the blue and whites that I love.
It made me think about what is classed as 'exotic' and 'other' in contemporary design now so I trotted off to Liberty's. There I found the work of Claudia Parker a ceramacist whose work is not unlike my own but had the advantage of being there on sale in the great store. Her crude plates and dishes have oxide line drawings and soft pastel earthenware glazes of figurative animals and fruit. I think it must be the 'unfinished' nature of her dishes , underneath no glaze or perfect un marked 'bottom' very much like my own and selling for £395. I guess the 'i've not had time to finish it off' look is now the new 'exotic'.
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