Pottery with a Sense of Place

Working the old-fashioned way, a potter from the Isle of Wight creates fundamental pieces that echo the chalky cliffs and elemental beauty of her native land.

Watching Sue Paraskeva work on her traditional momentum wheel is a bit hypnotic. From the moment the initial lump of clay is cast on the wheel, to the point where the final shaving hits the floor, you can feel the artist's connection to her work as well as to the process by which it is formed. The results are graceful and balanced but also, tactile and dynamic, as satisfying to hold and they are to behold.

Above: Stacked high the porcelain plates and bowls from Paraskeva's Tableware Collection are art in-and-of-themselves; £28 to £50 each.

Above: A serene creamer stands alone. Available by direct order from Sue or at Fen and Ned; £25.

Above: Porcelains beakers and bowls by also Paraskeva are available through Fen and Ned; £20 – £24.

Above: Paraskeva's tablewares, pictured here with a spackled glaze, are also available at Contemporary Ceramics Centre and Contemporary Applied Arts, both in London.

Above: An excerpt from the video of Paraskeva at work by Jamie Isbell.

Above: A piece from a recent art installation. Paraskeva's next show, 'Make, Believe, Make' opens at Portsmouth City Museum December 1. You can see Paraskeva's full exhibit calendar here.