Assemblage outcome from the RE:MADE: Upcycled and Assembled in Wales residency at Nantgarw ChinaWorks in collaboration with Elif Ağatekin working with ICF Aberystwyth, Nantgarw China Works Museum and Ruthin Craft Centre. 

On display at Ruthin Arts Centre in the Ceramic Portal 5th of July till 21st of September 2025

The main body of this piece takes the form of a jug inspired by those traditionally found in Welsh homes. Supporting the flat shape are re-created sherd forms, the shapes from porcelain fragments discovered on the grounds of the Nantgarw China Works. The small handle nested within the larger handle was produced using a slip mould taken from re-created Nantgarw cups. The surface decoration and motifs were drawn, and recreated by me, drawing inspiration from examples within the Nantgarw collection. At the centre of the jug is an assemblage composed of found and discarded ceramic waste brought from Turkey by Elif Ağatekin, combined with Nantgarw sherds and clay pipe fragments. Its placement reflects the tradition of commemorative ceramics, where the central area is typically reserved for the most significant imagery or information, emphasising the importance of these materials and the histories they represent.

This second piece feels like a dialogue with the unpredictable nature of clay and Nantgarw porcelain. Many of its elements warped, fractured, or required careful reconstruction throughout the making process.

Again the work incorporates reimagined Nantgarw shard forms, a small handle cast from an original Nantgarw cup mould, and floral motifs inspired by the museum’s collection with Elif’s in the centre,

The composition is anchored by contemporary Nantgarw shards created by Sally Stubbings using the recreated Nantgarw porcelain recipe. These pieces form the backbone of the work, providing stability and structure while allowing the surrounding elements to find their place around them.

This final smaller piece is a wall hanging .

During the residency at Nantgarw, I discovered that for the brief period when porcelain was decorated on-site in Wales, the palette tended toward natural tones (greens, browns, and blues). This piece has included a blue outline in this work as a deliberate nod to that “made in Wales” heritage