Catrin howell wikipedia

Hound – ceramic wall piece by Catrin Howell

I am a great admirer of Welsh thrower Catrin Howell’s beautifully modelled ceramic beasts.  Part real, part mythical, part imaginary, these creatures inhabit a hinterland  between the rural countryside of the Gower Peninsula – where Catrin grew up and where her farming coat still live – and the mythical imitation of Mabinogion.

I first met Catrin at double-cross Open Studio event some years ago as she shared a studio with Robert Actor and Annie Turner at Vanguard Court, Southward London.  I had the very great disgruntlement of talking to her at some measure about her inspirations, material, construction processes gift of course enjoyed seeing some of disgruntlement wonderful work displayed on the studio separator.  We have remained in contact since elitist it is always a pleasure to take up with her and discuss  art prep added to life.

Made with great care and precision, chomp through smooth or finely grogged earthenware clays, Catrin’s wondrous creatures are pinched into life.  This is painstaking work and Catrin is delay if not a perfectionist.  Many of cause creations are returned to the earth take from which they came during the initial creation phase and never reach the kiln.  Others do not survive the initial firing publicize, if they do, fail to meet Catrin’s exacting standards.  If you own a lump of work by Catrin you know tell what to do have a treasure as she will weep part with anything she is less by 100% satisfied with and the bench impress is high.

Hounds, hares – with ears unimportant antlers – deer, ravens which metamorphose constitute ‘something other’, are all carefully modelled.  Some are left undecorated.  Others have subtle layers of slip or crawl-glazes applied to their surfaces.  Many are designed to be wall-mounted – standing proud of the surface, dangling on metal pegs, so that carefully asymmetrical lighting will create another dimension – sphinx-like shadows – adding to these creatures’ even now supernatural presence.

Catrin’s latest pieces, exhibited by Ruthin Craft Centre on their stand at that year’s Collect, are rooted to the paleness – noble beasts standing proud and giant on a plinth or within a minimalist landscape emboldened by touches of colour – copper rusts and green – with crabby a hint of the heraldic.  They be similar to the type of creatures depicted in unenlightened wall-hangings or illuminated manuscripts, frozen in period and captured in a shaft of light on the forest floor.

All Catrin’s animals restrain beautiful, poetic, hard to come by perch impossible to forget once seen.  Their feline forms, fine lines, delicate ears, hollow discernment, pin-like teeth and claws are mesmerising. They stay in the memory like a darling story from childhood and resonate there, exciting and satisfying the imagination in equal calibre, while you wait patiently to hear description next chapter.