Jim Turner

Jim Turner makes ceramic sculptural vessels and forms assembled from paper clay, textured slabs and extruded sections. He sees ceramics as a unique form of personal expression, and his practice is driven primarily by an investigation into surface and form.

Turner’s current work includes the trophy and pod sculptures. Using paper clay sheets as canvasses, he applies slips and glazes with brushes in a painterly way. The sheets are then fired to 1300°C, subjected to chance in the process of firing, so that the extremely soft paper clay is transformed into a robust and enduring material. For Turner, this work represents an ongoing enquiry into the tension between permanence, transience and fragility. His work is influenced by his recent time at paper clay workshops in Australia and China, giving him an opportunity to explore the possibilities of scale and surface treatment in porcelain.

Turner’s work also includes bowls and other thrown forms. He decorates the surfaces with traditional Chinese tissue transfers, after which a simple celadon glaze is applied, complimenting the crispness of the white porcelain clay.

Turner established Rossmore Country Pottery in 1982, and is now based in West Cork.