Claire Ireland

Claire Ireland produces elegant hand-built sculptural forms; collectable objects, inspired by her studio’s location in the grounds of a historical steam museum in London in combination with a diverse array of visual research.
Her working practice as a ceramic sculptor is changing and is drawn to a more minimal and reductive strategy, but constantly enhancing and developing the decorated surface. Claire finds great enjoyment and creative impulse in making collections of man-made and natural forms and the discipline of drawing, her continuous sketchbook studies and her passion for printmaking are of prime importance to her.

Claire studied ceramics and printmaking at Camberwell College of Arts and is a dedicated hand builder. She revels in how ideas develop out of the process of making and experimenting with materials and techniques.
As an experienced tutor, Claire teaches contemporary ways of making, inventive surface decoration and creating specialist short courses on smoke firing and experimental paperclay techniques. She is a professional member of the Craft Potters Association, the Society of Designer Craftsmen and Design Nation. Her latest project is a book commissioned by The Crowood Press on “Surface Decoration for Ceramics” published in January 2023.  

There is a constant challenge to maintain an equilibrium when constructing my pieces. I work with ceramic components, making structures in a variety of ways, using different clays and incorporating experimental surfaces as I go.
I see the process of assemblages, akin to collage and delight in that element of chance and how those unplanned mishaps during the making and experimenting, evolve into new ideas. I try to hold back and not crowd an idea, developing an erudite language that flows with visual tension, creating intricate relationships between the forms. Clay for me is the perfect medium of sculptural expression, with remarkable scope and opportunities to tell stories and blend traditional and modern experimental techniques.

My work explores the disparity among materials and surface, between precise graphic notions and textured, weather-battered surfaces. The relationship between the fragility of a porcelain plant fragment, the strength of fractured solid clay, or the ethereal qualities of a smoky surface enveloping a form is an integral part of the process.
I am interested in alteration and the sense of balance throughout the making process but in the final stages of combining components, this is crucial to a successful outcome, intrinsically the clincher.

WORKS

Claire Ireland Alga Abor

Black stoneware, terracotta crank, grey stoneware and anthracite stoneware with textured glaze . Preserved sugar kelp stem.

28 x 28 x 11 cm, 11" x 11" x 4.5".

£450.00

Claire Ireland Corallium

Anthracite stoneware with underglaze decoration, black stoneware and a textured glaze addition. Fragment of dried coral

32 x 16 x 12 cm, 12.5" x 6.5" x 4.75".

£450.00

Claire Ireland Maritimus

Mixed body with engobe decoration, black stoneware and a meandering steel rod

43 x 13 x 13 cm, 17" x 5" x 5".

£850.00

Claire Ireland Album et Transmutai

Grey stoneware, anthracite stoneware with engobe and underglaze decoration

25 x 29 x 12 cm

£850.00

Claire Ireland Petra et Carduus

Grey stoneware, anthracite stoneware, terracotta crank and plant fragment cast in porcelain paperclay

37 x 31 x 19 cm

£1,200.00

Claire Ireland Transmutaris Vas

Anthracite stoneware clay with engobe decoration and plant fragment cast in porcelain paperclay.

40 x 14 x 11 cm

£650.00

Claire Ireland Aergo Ignis

Saggar Fired Porcelain, Cast Glass, Grey Stoneware, With Vertigris Copper Leaf

32 x 15 x 15 cm

£420.00

Claire Ireland Tessellis

Grey stoneware, black stoneware, printed oxide decoration with a plant fragment cast in porcelain paperclay

28 x 29 x 12 cm

£650.00

Claire Ireland Malum

Saggar Fire Porcelain, Grey Stoneware Embossed Decoration and Underglaze Colour.

14 x 12 x 12 cm.

£250.00

Claire Ireland Corallium

Black Clay With Water Etched Decoration, Stoneware With Oxide Decoration And Coral Fragment

18 x 10 x 10 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Labrum

Saggar Fire Porcelain, Grey Stoneware Embossed Decoration and Underglaze Colour

13 x 10 x 6 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Undulate Formae

Saggar fired porcelain, grey stoneware and burnt oak panel.

24 x 47 x 19 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Kekova Vas

Solid Cast Mixed Clay Bodies, Wild Turkish Clay And Underglaze Colour

17 x 24 x 9 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Typologies Series II #4

Grey Clay, Black Clay with White Engobe and Monoprinted Underglaze colours on Porcelain

29 x 11 x 30 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Caelatum

Black Stoneware, Embossed Decoration with Underglaze Colour.

10 x 9 x 5 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Saxatilis

Grey Stonware, Oxides And Underglaze Colour And Dry, Textural Glaze On White Stoneware.

20 x 19 x 16 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Ludo Mentis

Embossed grey stoneware and black stoneware with underglaze colour and plant fragments cast in porcelain paperclay.

36 x 47 x 19 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Spinosus

Saggar Fired Stoneware

8 x 10 x 8 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Cuprum

25 x 12 x 20 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Typologies Series II #1

Terracotta Crank, Black Clay, White Stoneware with White Engobe and Oxide decoration.

29 x 11 x 30 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Flavus

Silver Grey Stoneware, Embossed Decoration with Underglaze Colour

13 x 7 x 6 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Tumulus I

Saggar Fired Stoneware, Porcelain Paper Clay and Patinated Copper Leaf.

22 x 18 x 16 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Spicea Pirum

Grey Stoneware, Silver Grey Stoneware with Embossed Decoration

19 x 9 x 6 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Tension Visuelle | Full Circle #4

Printed and coloured porcelain, sterling silver and rubber cord.

7 x 6 x 1 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Gradus Collection Series #I | Ingis

Grey Stoneware, black stoneware, underglaze colour and cobalt oxide

29 x 29 x 9 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Tension Visuelle | Smoky Pod

Saggar fired porcelain, sterling silver and rubber cord.

9 x 4 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Tension Visuelle | Full Circle #1

Saggar fired stoneware and sterling silver

7 x 6.5 x 1 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Gradus Collection Series #I | Volu

Grey stoneware, black earthenware, porcelain paperclay and underglaze colour.

26 x 10 x 6.5 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Gradus Collection Series #I | Canutus

Grey stoneware, black stoneware, porcelain, underglaze colour and textured glaze

25 x 19 x 8 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Gradus Collection, Series #1 ‘Ater’

Black Stoneware, grey stoneware, Kekova wild clay with underglaze colour and a textured glaze

22 x 16 x 8 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Gradus Collection, Series #1 ‘Patera’

Grey stoneware, black earthenware, black stoneware and underglaze colour

22 x 16 x 8 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Plummets ( Series )

Saggar Fired Stoneware

20 x 7 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Typologies #4

Black Stoneware, Saggar Fired Porcelain and Terracotta Crank with White Underglaze

23 x 28 x 12 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Typologies #3

Saggar Fired Porcelain, Grey Stoneware and Black Stoneware

29 x 28 x 12 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Typologies #2

Black Stoneware, Terracotta Crank, Saggar Fired Porcelain, White Stoneware with Engobe

23 x 28 x 12 cm

SOLD

Claire Ireland Typologies #1

Grey Stoneware, Terracotta Crank and Saggar Fired Porcelain

20 x 28 x 12 cm

SOLD