Debbie Barber is a ceramic artist who specialises in raku and smoked fired ceramics and she works from her home studio in rural Leicestershire. Her art and design training was in textile decoration and embroidery. After ten years, she changed course and returned to college to train as a potter having a lifelong interest in ceramics.
She has retained her influences from her textile background. She loves pattern and colour and takes inspiration from the natural world – trees, plants and the birds in her garden and surrounding countryside.
Debbie Barber was drawn to naked raku as a firing technique as she enjoys the hands on and the dynamic process of raku firing. Raku ceramics date from 16th century Japan. Tea bowls used in their tea ceremonies were simply made using this fast-firing technique.
Her creative drive ensures that she is constantly looking to ways to take her work forward using changing decorative techniques and making processes.
