Nothing Lasts – Sue Dawes

15 April – 12 July 2026

I use stoneware crank clay to build my ceramics. This is an open-bodied clay which will generally stand the firing process without breaking. Everything is hand-made, either by coiling or slabbing. I use a standard, low-firing copper glaze.

This theme this exhibition will explore is ‘Nothing Lasts’ and will be illustrated by means of sculptural ceramics. Some of the forms are rooted in historical pottery; the remains of which illustrate millennia of human endeavour, others are inspired by ruined, burnt-out  buildings, which reflect the fragility of human-kind and its trappings.

I use reclaimed wood to fire the ceramics in an oil drum. This method is used so that I can align with the methods used by our ancestors, who would have fired theirs in pits and earth banks. Oil drums or pits, the work is at the mercy of the raw flames at all times. I find this very exciting and moving.

I achieved a degree in art at Manchester where I met my future husband Ed Dawes. We started a ceramics company and proceeded to manufacture and supply all kinds of pottery. Historical reproductions for museums were the most fascinating and I am thrilled to be revisiting this area of study in my ceramics just now.

It is important for me to accompany my ceramics 2D works which help demonstrate my creative process and will include drawings, diagrams and photographs, as well as some written items.

You can find out more about this exhibition on BloombergConnects