Paul Gatenby

Paul Gatenby makes figurative ceramic sculpture and drawings. Clay is earth and the style of the sculptures reflects the nature of the material. He uses raku and smoke as these processes leave a visual record of the firing. The human figure is a theme which has always been at the core of his artwork and his current work is exploring traditional archetypes. He is exploring a number of themes: Kings & Queens, Acrobats & Clowns, and Fete Gallant. These are loaded images from which stories might be spun.
 The work is influenced from many different sources; by example, old churches, Shakespeare, Tiepolo, Watteau, Emma Rodgers and Michael Flynn, even the texture of the clay itself. There stylistic challenge is to find the right balance between naturalism and expression. Drawing is fundamental to Paul’s work: he regularly draws from life and has an interest in art and anatomy.

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