Abigail Simpson

Abigail Simpson’s profile on Ceramics Now Magazine – View her works

“I have worked with the theme of the vessel for some time now, developing it as an object beyond normal usage. My idea of a vessel is not simply as a working piece of apparatus but as an object which expresses raw energy and power. It is not an academic exercise in imitating the historical past. I am interested in the ceramic ‘architecture’ of an object, and in my work a sense of engineering the form is crucial. When I am in the studio I think of the object in simple terms; its surface, colour, scale and the promise of something elegant and beautiful at the finish. There is also an underlying sense of the erotic…” Abigail Simpson

Abigail Simpson was born in London and originally trained as an actor before going on to study ceramics. Her work has been exhibited extensively in Britain. Simpson’s latest enterprise is an installation of 15 vessels currently being shown at Ralph Pucci International showroom in Manhattan. Simpson’s large ceramic vessels and ‘Bobble pots’, which have become her trade mark, are painstakingly constructed by hand from stoneware clay using giant coils. The pieces are then fired in her purpose built kiln to 1280 degrees centigrade.

Each piece is unique and has a character of its own. The only constant is the extraordinary scale – the vessels are can be up to 7 feet in height. Her aim is to break free from the limitations and expectations of ‘pottery’, drawing her inspiration primarily from architecture, art and fashion. Her vessels can be described as both voluptuous and glamorous and her training as an actress might be deduced from the sheer theatricality of these large vessels. Abigail Simpson’s work has been featured in most of the major interior and fashion magazines as well as being catalogued by Christies in two ‘Contemporary and Post-War British Art’ auctions. Buyers include Annie Lennox and Donna Karan.