Manchester Craft & Design Centre

These studio boutiques sell handmade, bespoke items: It was beneficial observe the designers as they created these contemporary pieces:

Linzi Ramsden, Ceramic Tile

 

This artist has inlaid an embroidered flower motif and raised patterns into the clay before firing. This is effective as it adds detailed stitch marks and subtle lines of texture onto the hard, smooth surface. I like how she used machine embroidery as part of the process, with only subtle evidence in the finished outcome.  

 

Lee Page Hanson, Ceramic Tile

Hanson’s experimentation with a simple bird silhouette and elaborate pattern is successful, as he interchanges plain and intricate areas so that parts of the image stand out whereas others are more vague. Also combining raised and indented surfaces adds a sense of depth to the tile.