Playful Prawns and Camels
Keen to push the boundaries of working sketchbook based, Alice Johnson — the once BA illustration student — started to experiment with air drying clay. After graduation, she set aside her evenings to attend local ceramic classes where she learned the basics and “the rest is history”, she says.
Escaping the life of digital, Alice tells us “there’s something so refreshing working with clay in the world we now live in, it’s like an escape, a way to switch off”. For her, there’s pleasure to be had in knowing something once flat and lifeless can be transformed into something tangible and functional, creating pieces she hopes “brings joy”.
Whether working hand-based or throwing on the wheel, creating pottery is analogue by nature. A chance to feel connected and present, Alice explains “ceramics is this ancient practice that’s so intrinsic with being human”, with tools at your fingertips to tell stories and tales of what came before, it’s “like a historical, societal portal”.
With humorous undertones, Alice’s work is effortlessly playful. Depicting the likes of charming camels, pretty pink prawns, and Scandinavian-inspired horses, each design calls upon earthy hues and pops of pastels.
Discover more of Alice Johnson’s work at www.studioalicejohnson.com | @studioalicejohnson
Words | Tous Mag
Image Credits | © Alice Johnson / Tor Harrison