Tree Durn Hill Farm
 Kerstin Gren - Ceramics - Artist's Statement 		 
 
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I work with lowfired ceramics. I like the softness of lowfired clay.

My forms comes from a variety of sources; ancient symbols, tools, vessels and materials. I have recently been working a lot with the forms and shapes of boats.
I use a mix between Raku firing and Smoke firing to achieve the colours I am after. I also decorate with clay. I use natural ochres that I pick here on the farm, in my immediate surroundings or during journeys in Scotland. I can sometimes be seen with a small jar by a burn in the countryside, taking samples of ochre filled clay (if I am lucky) or soil to make slip from.

I strive for simplicity in my forms which I guess is a strong Scandinavian influences; to go towards the core of the form, to take away instead of adding.

Now living and working in the UK, I have been thinking a lot about my cultural identity. Moving away from my home culture has made it more important to me, and I am constantly aware of where I have come from. Of course, I do not know what the culture I am now living in is bringing to me, and I find that exciting.