Derek Wilson

Derek Wilson’s practice as a ceramicist centres on the making of a diverse range of contemporary objects from functional to sculptural. His ideas spring from a complex blending of familiar to abstract, evident in both his functional ware and sculpture work. The colour, shape and materiality of his objects reference ideas of restraint, containment and minimalism. His search for simplicity of form draws inspiration from a diverse range of sources from mid-century British Constructivism to the history of the ceramic industry in Europe and Asia. Working in celadon glazed porcelain and stoneware, his objects, whether usable or not, tend to be placed in groupings, which evoke communality and sociability. Wilson aims to push the boundaries of a traditional and diverse artform through playing with its aesthetics, materiality and processes.

Wilson graduated with a distinction from the Ceramics Design & Skills Course, Crafts Council of Ireland in 2002. In 2007, he received an MA in Applied Arts, Ceramics from the University of Ulster, Belfast.