Sian Van Driel - Arundel Gallery Trail

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Sian was brought up in Canada and Italy until her parents moved to the South Downs which is where Sian now lives with her family.

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Working from an old agricultural barn surrounded by ancient fields with grazing sheep, goats and cattle is like being in a quiet time warp. When the weather is good Sian flings open the large barn doors to flood the space with light and reveal the far reaching views: it's the qualities of this landscape that Sian seeks to transpose into and onto her vessels which she does in a minimal way.

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Sian's smaller pieces are hand thrown from raku clay body and her larger pieces hand-built from stoneware. She uses minimal marks, a series of small scratched lines that suggest movement, which catch the soft coloured glazes and touches of gold leaf.  

The combination of the simple forms of white clay, restrained colour and decoration allow the pots to have a wonderful sense of light and space and a calm and quiet presence which reflects her environment.

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Sian has exhibited throughout the UK and in Germany, Spain, Canada, Hungary and Japan.

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In 2009 Sian was commissioned to design a tiled, circular 5m labyrinth floor as part of a major restoration of Boxgrove Priory.

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In 2011, using traditional methods and working from original Westminster Abbey tile designs, Sian made authentic replica medieval floor tiles which were sold in the Abbey shop.

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www.sianvandrielceramics.co.uk

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