About
Ceramicist Jacqui Ramrayka loves vessels in their many forms, in series and as one-offs. The idea of containment fascinates and continually challenges her. Jacqui finds inspiration in natural and urban landscapes, the seemingly random and mundane: rusty metal tools, peeling layers of paint, found objects that suggest a fragment of a story – things which also inform her colour palette.
Jacqui began as a hand builder and is still interested in that approach for certain projects, but finds throwing on the wheel suits her exploration better. She works primarily in porcelain: despite its tricky nature, it has the right qualities for the finishes she wants to explore, of purity, fragility and strength. Surfaces are important, used to express her narratives, and to achieve depth and variety through richly textured and vibrantly coloured glazes. The earthy palettes and tactile surfaces of her vessels echo the landscapes they are informed by; layered with oxides and glazes, brushed and dipped, often multi-fired. The unpredictability of process ensures each piece has unique textures and patinas.
For Jacqui, craft is very much about hand-working, understanding the material, and enjoying the freedom of seeing ideas evolve as she makes. Working in series Jacqui observes how clay responds, and follows where it guides her, rather than having defined goals.
Jacqui is based in London and has been a Design-Nation member since 2019.
