Katie Scarlett Howard

My work is made on the voluptuous female form, they are a reaction to tastes and ideals. Questioning stereotypes of what society perceives to be a beautiful body. The figures are based on the power, joy, sensuality and celebration of being a woman.

The sculptures are made from hollow slabs of Grogged Pink, Grogged White, Raku, Terracotta, and white St. Thomas earthenware clay.
They are bisque fired to 1000 degrees and finished with various oxides and glaze stains - whatever suits each individual character of each figure. The women are made in various sizes and positions. I hope they portray a sense of contentment with themselves and each other, whether deep in conversion or sitting quietly, peaceful in a moment of thought.

I enjoy the tactile experience of working in clay, making the proportions shapely and large, but counteracting them with smaller details, like the hands, feet, face and hair.

More recently, I have become more experimental with the surface of the clay, imprinting sections of fabric or `skin like' textures onto parts of the body. I am inspired by the work of other contemporary ceramic artists working with the figure and painters such as Beryl Cook, Jenny Saville and Paula Rego.

I hope to continue to develop the female forms looking more intently at posture, shape and finish to enhance the personality of each figure I make.