In Celebration of Ceramics

“This small exhibition of still life paintings is my response to some of the ceramic pieces in the Storiel and Bangor University collection.

These every-day household objects made one hundred or two hundred years ago speak of life – the people who created the lively patterns and designs of these jugs, mugs, plates, bowls, and the folk who owned and used them.

My grandfather was the head forester at Penrhyn Castle during the 1950s and the family lived in a tied house at Llandygai. Some of my early memories are of the lovely old bits and pieces of pottery they used – Grandpa’s blue and white striped stoneware shaving mug; eating buttered Bara Brith from Grandma’s ‘best’ porcelain plates. I can remember enjoying the colours of the glazes and the shape of the vessels.

The items I’ve chosen to paint reminded me of some of the pieces of china from my childhood. I’ve really enjoyed studying their form and decoration and have added flowers from the hedgerow and garden to complement some of the striking patterns.

The pictures in this show are made on paper using gouache (etched into, using the pointed end of a paperclip) and soft, highly pigmented hand-rolled pastels from Northumberland.”

Susan Gathercole RCA 2024

About Susan Gathercole RCA

Born in Glasgow in 1962, Susan graduated in Fine Art from Liverpool in 1984.

She spent some of her childhood in Conwy, North Wales, and has lived near Llanberis for over 30 years, working from a small wooden studio overlooking the trees to the Eryri foot hills.

Susan was invited to become a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy in 2016 and describes her style and subject matter as Wonky Still Life.

“Encouraged by creative parents, I have drawn and painted since childhood. Growing up, my mother’s beautiful sketchbooks (she studied art at Liverpool before me) were a fundamental source of stimulation.

My sister, Gill Gathercole is also a practicing artist, and great inspiration. Other powerful influences are Mary Fedden, Winifred Nicholson and Elizabeth Blackadder.”