PAINTING WITH PORCELAIN: A STUDY IN LIGHT, TEXTURE, AND FORM

SARA DODD

Sara Dodd’s practice is driven by a fascination with porcelain’s fluidity and the unpredictable dynamics of high-temperature firings. She approaches the medium like a painter, layering thin sheets of liquid clay to create intricate compositions that play with light, shadow, and texture. Her inspiration stems from nature’s delicate beauty, particularly the shifting tones of the sky, as well as from traditional techniques that emphasize materiality and form.

A graduate of Cardiff Metropolitan University (2013), after which she held an assistant position with Katharine Morling, Sara has gained widespread recognition for her boundary-pushing approach to ceramics. Working from her London studio, she blends design with chance, embracing the natural movements that occur during firing to capture a moment of both fragility and strength. Her works echo the quiet elegance of the world around her, with each piece becoming a study in harmony and contrast.

‘I PAINT INTUITIVELY WITH PORCELAIN CLAY IN ITS LIQUID FORM, SLIP, REIMAGINING THIS TRADITIONAL MATERIAL INTO WAFER THIN STRATA OF BEAUTY, DELICACY AND STRENGTH.’ 

Sara’s pieces radiate a sense of calm and intimacy, with her torn, wafer-thin porcelain canvases catching and refracting light in ways that make them feel both delicate and resilient. Through an intuitive and methodical process, she carefully balances control and unpredictability, allowing each kiln firing to complete her story.

RECOGNITIONS & EXHIBITIONS

Sara’s artwork ‘Swell’ was exhibited at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition (2017) where it enjoyed a highly successful run and went on to be featured in Elle Decoration (2019). She received an honourable mention at the International KOGEI Crafts Awards, Japan (2021), and her ‘Monochrome Maquette' was awarded with a 3D Art Prize at the Wales Contemporary Open (2022). 

 

In 2021 Sara joined the Craft Potters Association (CPA) and Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA), in recognition of the high quality of her craftsmanship. In 2022 she was invited to join the ranks of Homo Faber, a collection of the best artisans and makers from across Europe where she was labelled a 'Rising Star’ representing the future of craftsmanship with her novel take. In 2022 Sara received the Rosalind Stracey Ceramics Award from Cockpit Arts and moved her studio to Deptford, South East London. 

Her work is exhibited regularly across the UK as well as internationally in Europe, USA and the Middle East. Most notable exhibitions include the Collect - Somerset House in London, Collect - Saatchi Gallery, both for multiple year as well as exhibitions internationally such as in Miami, New York, Brussels and now Berlin. 

SARA'S PIECES FEATURED AT HOUSE OF QRA