Lesley Farrell creates sculptural ceramic vessel forms, hand-built using traditional coiling and pinch construction methods. The pieces are double walled, creating the illusion of density, with delicate surface patterns sourced from vintage lace. 

 

She is interested in exploring how traces of the past can be held and recalled through hand-made objects. The process used to transfer the surface pattern relies on the touch of the original fabric, which once removed leaves an impression or ‘afterimage’. The patterns wrap around the ceramic form, enfolding it, as if held in the fabric. The work alludes to the former life of the lace and the absence of the persons who owned and made it. T

 

The forms used are simple and visually heavy, contrasting with the surfaces, creating an element of intrigue.  The works are both solid and fragile, traditional and contemporary, two-dimensional fabric translated into three-dimensional form. They refer to the history of the vessel in ceramics, whilst the enclosed interiors deny a specific function. Lesley intends them to pay tribute to a female associated aesthetic, questioning the relation between value and gender in visual culture and making. The surfaces are applied with a combination of matt textured slip and selected areas of glaze, giving them a tactile quality, inviting interaction.

 

Having obtained a degree in Ceramics from Loughborough College of Art and Design, Lesley pursues a career in the gallery sector and is an establish curator alongside her studio practice. She has an MA in Photography from Nottingham Trent University and a PGCE Art and Design from the University of Brighton.