This Christmas we are celebrating the 10th Anniversary of The Angela Mellor Studio & Gallery on December 3rd/4th & 10th/11th 10.30am-5pm
Angela’s love of ceramics began whilst teaching in the early 70’s and she furthered her studies in 1984 at the University of East Anglia under the direction of Peter Lane, the ceramist and author, who became her tutor and mentor. She was introduced to bone china in 1991 by Sasha Wardell and fell in love with this seductive medium. In 1995 Angela went to live in Perth Western Australia with her late husband was very supportive of her work. In 1997 she gained a BA Hons at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, studying with Les Blakeborough, whose porcelain she greatly admired. That was followed by a move to Melbourne where she completed a Graduate Scholarship for MA Research at Monash University. These opportunities afforded her the chance to develop her work in bone china and she pioneered the use of bone china paper clay, resulting in Honourable Mentions in International competitions in Japan and Korea.
The bright sunlight in Western Australia and its effect upon the landscape, made a great impact on Angela and influenced the development of her work. On returning to Perth, she set up her own studio. An Australian Crafts Council Grant enabled her to collaborate with a lighting designer for a year so as to research the translucency of bone china, which has become the driving force in her work today, as can be seen in her new series Sculptural Light, which is a complete diversion from earlier work and her most adventurous to date.
These large-scale sculptural pieces have been hand built using bone china paperclay, a medium Angela has researched and developed since 1997. Observations of nature in its many forms have been inspirational to her. These include the study of exotic plants in Indonesia and marine life in Australia, and more recently coastlines around the UK.
It had always been a dream of Angela’s to run her own gallery and when after ten years she returned to England in 2006 things fell into place. She took over the gallery in Ely from Ronald Pile, previous owner of Primavera in Cambridge. Ronald has proved to be a great friend and guide over many years and Angela is delighted that he will be in the gallery on Saturday 3rd December 12-2pm to open the exhibition.
For the first few years of running the gallery, Angela showed the work of many international, national and local artists. In recent years Angela has concentrated on her own practice and only opens the Studio and gallery twice a year and by appointment. This has given her the freedom to develop her work, now culminating in the stunning new ‘Sculptural Light’ series.
Alongside the sculptural pieces, a new range of objects ‘Symphony in Black and White’. These are complemented by invited guest artist Vilokini Gail Abbott’s new monochrome prints exploring the transitions and thresholds between states and liminal places. Also returning is popular local painter Melanie Max with her atmospheric landscapes in oils.
We are pleased to introduce two new jewellers this year: Abi Cochran’s silver work whose recurring theme is rivers running through rocky valleys, and the unique sculptural pieces by Alison Kramarchuk who knits together silver and copper wire. We are also pleased to feature the ever-popular seasonal brooches crocheted from copper wire by Tina Ashdown.
Angela is indebted to her apprentice Louise Barr without whose help and dedication over the past few years she could not have accomplished so much.
Looking to the future, Angela has recently been invited to serve on the Advisory Team of International Paperclay Exhibition Project in the USA, which will tour museums and galleries worldwide. This will greatly increase the understanding and appreciation of paperclay work and encourage more ceramicists to explore the medium.
Open weekends:
Dec 3-4 & 10-11
10.30am-5pm
Angela Mellor Studio & Gallery at: 38A St Mary’s Street, Ely, CB7 4ES, www.angelamellor.com
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