Ted Hughes and Remains of Elmet

I first came across the Elmet series of poems by Ted Hughes when I was writing my BA Fine Art dissertation on 'Representation of the South Pennines' and they immediately struck a chord, echoing many of the themes that I was already pursuing in my own studio practice; the landscape, people and villages of the area and the sense of steady decline in the old industries. He was writing as someone born into the Pennine community of nearby Todmorden; I was seeing the area with the eyes of an 'incomer' - albeit of 25 years duration.

The original book was illustrated by Fay Godwin's photographs and although I thought them interesting, I found different images coming into my mind as I read the poems.
This year I have finally begun a project that I fleetingly considered then, and have been exploring my own ceramic interpretations. I hope that you will find them interesting.


Keith Sagar has written an excellent article on Ted Hughes and the Calder Valley which describes his links with the area and the gestation and inspiration behind Remains of Elmet.

The text only version of Remains of Elmet is published by Faber & Faber

Not quite as planned

Sometimes things don't go as planned but can be quite interesting despite that. 

The Trance of Light
- it is approximately 40cm tall

It features screenprinted images of mills and
machinery, plus the textures of fabic, stone,
setts and cogs

This piece was made for theSDC at the Mall Exhibition and was based on the Ted Hughes poem, the Trance of Light which is about the decline of industry in the Pennines and a return to nature. 

As usual I was pushing the clay to its limits and this time it broke in the firing - but actually - for me it gives a further dimension to the theme...

At the Mall Galleries

A busy start - this was the opening morning in the main gallery

One of the best things that I did at the time of my graduation from Bradford College was to sign up for the assessment for Licentiate Membership of the Society of Designer Craftsmen.

It was nerve racking at the time as it involved an in depth interview with one of the Fellows of the society, Pete Moss, that was both challenging and stimulating - and then the nervous wait to see if I had been accepted. When the letter came to say that not only had I been, but that mine was an Award with Merit which entitled me to show at their annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London, I was over the moon - and then scared out of my wits at the same time! Three years on and I have just come back from the set up and launch of this years event but for the second year as part of the organising team! (My own fault for letting on that I knew how to operate a computer!)

My display in the main gallery. The theme of
this years work is the 'Remains of Elmet' series of poems
by Ted Hughes about the Pennines and Calderdale

This year there are over 130 artists and craftspeople showing their work in the exhibition and shop within the show and the standard of the craftsmanship across the disciplines is amazing - as is the variety of the work! 

Almost a quarter of those showing this year are ceramicists and yet each is using different styles and techniques. If any of you are around in London, it is open until the 20th January and well worth a visit.

Impressions; Pennine Winter

The Pennines in winter can be stunning; the stark white snow delineated by the intricate patterns of the black walls with the bright blue of the sky and the deep blues in the shadows of the frosty walls.

Pennine Winter
This is a large, double sided standing piece made form porcelain paperclay that aims to convey some of the tones and textures of a Pennine Winter, particularly the field patternes outlined by the dry stone walls.

A second version of this theme, in this case using various different types of paperclay, screen prints, layered slips and glazes that aim to convey some of the impressions of winter in the Pennines.

Impressions: A Winter Walk
Another development on from the winter theme with a combination of textured layered slips, prints and glazes.

Cullingworth; A Self Portrait

One of the aspects that I wanted to explore was a representation of the village. The dilemma was how?
Then it struck me; to use the way that it represents itself - it's signage.

This is a large wall plaque made from stoneware paperclay that revisits the theme of the village of Cullingworth. Using the images and signs that the village itself presents to represent it, it also aims to echo the recurring shapes to be found; the arches of the mill archways, the viaduct and the doors and windows of the pubs, the shapes and angles of the roof’s and the tones and textures of the local stone.

A second version of the village theme with a more overlapped and layered feel.

Exploring Goitstock

Goitstock Woods is a local beauty spot with twisting paths amongst the trees of a steep, narrow valley following the path of Goitstock Beck which falls in a series of rills and waterfalls.

Goitstock 2.
This piece was a further development of the Goitstock woods theme, developing the feeling of enclosure by the trees which arch over the fast flowing stream and the prominent, twining root systems.

Goitstock 3.
Continuing to develop this theme, in this case I wanted to convey the feeling of the falling, twisting, bubbling beck surrounded by the trunks of the many trees. It is made from stoneware and porcelain paperclays.

Goitstock 4.
A third revisit of the Goitstock theme, in this case concentrating on the actual waterfall cascade using porcelain paperclay and volcanic glazes, mounted on a piece of Green Oak

Some of my test pieces so far