These aren’t marks that are purely on the surface of these vessels, these are marks that are because of the surface of these vessels. They react to the form.
The consideration by Tom Kemp is evident and yet you can feel that the actual process in making these marks has been so swift and so confident that it’s been driven by intuition. Intuition that comes with decades of experience in using tools for writing and studying mark making, definitely. But also an intuition that must come from the process of forming these surfaces. Which may just be minutes, trying to pull the clay up in a few movements as possible is every ceramicist’s aim, but in that time every movement of the clay is yours. Your hands have guided the form, not only the overall shape but closely studying the thickness of the walls.
These are surfaces that you unconsciously know every inch of - maps that you’ve drawn yourself. It’s of no surprise that these marks feel like they completely belong.
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Image above: Vessels, both wheel-thrown stoneware, by Tom Kemp as part of his solo exhibition (1st - 23rd March 2019)
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