Sharon Griffin
Sharon Griffin likes to be inspired by a narrative which mirrors or tells a story of an everyday moment in life. She is searching for a sense of deeper meaning within human form; stories of loves and losses; characters from a play; a response to a news article. She is especially attracted to the ‘underdog’ and to those who have yet to be noticed. She likes to represent the REAL rather than the IDEAL and to search for a beautiful story in an everyday life situation. She also likes to include a story of a moment in time which would otherwise go unnoticed.
She wishes to evoke ‘feeling’ and mirror the ‘gesture’ through the use of fast marks, quick making techniques and ‘sketches’. Her work sometimes has an unfinished quality which adds to the idea that the figure is a suggestion of a living being rather than a still ornamental object. It is important to her that her figures have an identity and are able to connect with an audience in a non- physical sense. She uses clay as a sculptural medium – a canvas in a 3d sense – she does not sketch or draw beforehand and enjoys being part of the creation as the sculpture reveals itself as she works. Her ideas are directly conveyed into the clay using the minimum of tools and the feel of the clay in her hands as she pushes it around is almost part of her. It is a kind of conversation with clay. She uses it as an extended voice.
She begins with an idea, but she never really knows what the figure will end up becoming. The solid lump of cold wet clay emerges over time to reveal her inner thoughts and feelings.
Sharon has an Honours Degree in ceramics and an MA in Ceramics from Wolverhampton
