The Impulsiveness of Making | Claire Ireland | Episode 920

Claire Ireland | Episode 920

Claire Ireland produces elegant hand-built sculptural forms on different scales – collectable objects, inspired by her studio’s location in the grounds of a historical steam museum in London UK . Claire’s working practice as a ceramic sculptor is changing and is drawn to a more minimal and reductive strategy, simplifying structures, but constantly enhancing and developing the surface.

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Someone said, There’s no such thing as an impulsive artist. What do you think of that kind of comment?

Crikey. (laughter) I am not sure that’s true. If you are spontaneous, you make a spontaneous decision and think about it later. Impulsive sometimes can be quite a good thing for an artist.

Do you have a certain sense of rhythm to your making? Which would imply that it’s not all impulsive.

Well I suppose I do plan, because I make a lot of things in groups and in components and sometimes I will veer off because something will occur to me or I have made something that has not quite worked and turned it into something else. So I will veer off. So the impulsive nature may creep in at those stages.

Do you feel like you are a partner with clay as if it’s an active participant?

Yes, I think it is. It’s so part of who I am I can’t envision not doing anything in clay, I have been doing it for so long now. And I think it is there to stay. Potters never retire. And I still love it, it’s a medium I really enjoy.

Do you feel like “failure” is a welcome guest in the making process?

Mishaps, I should think we should call them. I think that is very much the nature of the beast. I think it’s important that, you know, Fail again, fail better. That’s a great quote.

Do you feel that your work needs an audience to feel a sense of worth for your work?

Know you worth. That is another good quote. I think it is very nice for people to like the work. I am lucky, I’ve got friends who are actors and they can’t stand in the corner and act in their front room, but at least with makers you can carry on making regardless if you sell or exhibit. You can still be creative and produce wonderful work. And what’s very nice if people like it and want to take it home, it’s even better. And people respond to it. Sometimes you make things and you don’t really know if anybody else is going to like it. That’s very reassuring that they do.

If your creations were a style of music where would it land?

A bit of boogie woogie maybe. I don’t know, it’s a bit eclectic so I don’t know, I’m not that good in all my music genres. Country and Western, Hip Hop, and maybe a dash of some Classical. I don’t know, I mean that’s my experimental side. I suppose my sculptural work is a bit calmer.