Tile Addict has been following the wonderful work of Fenella Elms for some time, delighting in the unmistakable flowing figures of her ceramic designs. Currently based in the expansive countryside of the Wiltshire downs, the Fenella Elms Studio has undertaken many public and private commissions both locally and internationally.
The enigmatic designs have been displayed throughout museums, private homes, within interior design magazines, and now finally on Diary of a Tile Addict. Their appeal is clear, inspired by the natural movements and materials presented throughout the animal kingdom (the artist herself keeps fish, bees, ducks, and sheep) as well as organic floral movements, the artworks represent something wholly familiar, yet entirely abstracted.
One can follow the motion of the waving ceramic shapes and imagine the pieces continuing to move and dance. They appear as a singular momentary stillness, with life on the brink of bursting through.
Each element is designed and created in porcelain slip, and its inconsistent qualities are used to the sculpture’s advantage. The material’s strength and fine nature have led to Elms’ particular creation processes which aim to not only make great use of these characteristics, but also to challenge them. And this is achieved with great effect … each piece has an ethereal softness and a harsh firmness and rigidity.
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A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, November 2019.
