figurative teapots gallery/accessories gallery

 Lisa's figurative teapots based on the female form raise issues of the figure as object, where 3 legged teapot figures with attitude appear hermaphroditic with the placing of a functional spout. Many of these pieces veer towards the sculptural with some of them reaching almost a metre in height. 

By using a synthesis of imagery taken from the history of female fashion and fetishism, Lisa's influences for these pieces are as diverse as Victorian corsetry, high street fashion and haute couture. the delicate balance between form and function is often observed on the streets and in the clubs of Cardiff, where there is an interesting clash as the female desire to attract can ignore both form and the climate. 

These fashion influences have also inspired her to create accessories to accompany the figurative teapots, such as 'handbag' teapots and sugar bowls, poodle jugs and hatboxes.

  Each figurative teapot and poodle jug was hand-built from paper clay using a variety of slab, pinch and coil techniques.  The pieces are painted with underglaze's and fired to 1130 centigrade.  A transparent glaze is then added and sometimes transfers and or metallic lustre's.  Finally, Swarovski rhinestones, various beads and natural or dyed feathers complete each piece.  Each 'handbag' teapot and sugar bowl is wheel-thrown and then decorated and fired using the same method as above.

 

 

'That was then...' gallery

The work Lisa produced for this exhibition is based upon a small porcelain two-headed female figure, which is part of the Fox collection at the Newport Museum and Art Gallery. It is an intriguing piece, as it is unmarked with no gallery labels giving any clues to its identity or history. 

Lisa's initial response to the piece was to ask questions.  Is this an allegorical work based on the two-headed Anna Perenna, a Victorian piece laden with symbols debating a moral code, what is the relevance of the cherub, what is the cherub holding, is the woman's gesture with the right hand physical or spiritual?  The ambiguity of this work made a real connection with Lisa's figurative work and enabled a way forward to not necessarily answer any questions but to ask more.

 1987-1998 gallery

The work shown here was produced from 1987 until 1998.  Sizes range from six inches to seven feet.  Most of the work is mixed media incorporating traditional glazed ceramic with fabric, wood and paint.