Meet the maker: Ceramic hand builder, Sophie Farrar.

Sophie Farrar is a Sheffield based ceramic artist, adopting her craft during a move to San Francisco.

Exploring both throwing and hand building as making techniques, Sophie took to the almost exclusive use of her hands, coupled with an acute number of carving tools. Dipped in raven black and adorned with smatterings of white strokes, the surfaces are kindred to that of Lino prints - both graphic and organic in appearance.

Sophie’s signature sgraffito scratched forms are carved into with slow, repetitive motions, exposing the lucent porcelain underneath. Dancing between minimalism and detail, Sophie’s vessels sweep you up into a sea of striking mark making.

We chatted to Sophie about her practice, excited to learn more about her hand-built approach to clay.

How did you get started?

“I studied fine art at university, then having spent several years teaching in inner city schools across the UK, I made the move to San Francisco. My visa meant I was unable to work for the first year so I took the opportunity to explore a new hobby and signed up for a beginners class in wheel throwing.

“I immediately fell in love and ended up spending most of my time in the studio until I was eventually employed as a studio assistant. This meant I was able to intensively practice my hand building skills until I eventually started making my own work full time."

What research and inspiration do you draw upon to create your pieces?

“I take inspiration from a wide variety of places. I love looking at architecture, as well as drawing inspiration from the design world. I’m drawn to minimalism but I can equally see a texture in the natural world, like tree bark which can spark an idea for a new mark making technique”.

Can you please explain your making process?

“I’m a hand building ceramicist which means I don’t use a wheel or slip casting techniques to make my work. My hands are my main tool as well as a slab rolling machine which rolls out my clay into thin sheets. I can then create ‘pattern pieces’ much like a dressmaker and piece together my forms. In addition, I use decorative mark making techniques, like sgraffito to decorate the raw clay forms."

Can you please explain your choice to work with fine porcelain?

“As the majority of my work incorporates contrast and texture I wanted a material that was both tactile and beautiful enough to be left unglazed. The porcelain I use is buttery smooth when wet, which is perfect for carving my crisp mark marking. It also has just enough warmth to not appear too stark against the black glazing I use to create my patterns. It’s difficult to work with, but worth it.”

Why is hand building ceramics your preferred choice of making?

“Although I enjoyed wheel throwing ceramics, I was often frustrated with the limitations of circular forms. Hand building opened up endless design possibilities. I also loved the simplicity of working with very few tools - as long as I have a table and my hands I can create."

To find out more about Sophie’s work, click here.