Alice Fyles

As a ceramicist, clay is my main material.

You might have come across it as the dark muck in puddles or as the slippery earth people make pots with.

But, what on earth is clay?

I don’t mean culturally, historically or artistically. I mean physically. Someone once mentioned tiny particles and minerals. What particles? What minerals? Where do they come from? How does that create clay? Why do I, as a ceramicist, not know this?!

How does my knowledge of clay affect what, how and why I work with it?

To address these questions, I explore Swedish clay by pushing its boundaries in ceramics, glaze, glass, sand, rock and magma. In this process, I investigate how these materials relate to each other and discover what lies in between. This degree project has resulted in various material experiments, photographs and a storybook, communicating an intricate and alternative perspective on ceramic materials.