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Deiniol Williams

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Biography

Deiniol’s ceramic practice explores the dichotomy between rhythm and discord, balance and disorder. Bringing together raw and unrefined materials and incorporating them into the clay, he seeks to find the harmonious point between the rhythmic flow of the potter’s wheel and the disruptive and chaotic inclusions within the modified clay.

Many of the inclusion materials Deiniol uses are collected from the ancestral family farm in Wales. These inclusions which are mixed into the fabric of the clay pushes Deiniol's throwing skills to the limit. The act of throwing becomes a careful balancing act between the clay's tendency to tear and collapse, and the control needed to create the forms. It requires complete focus with every movement considered otherwise the form will not survive.

After coating the forms with wood ash based glazes, the inclusions distort and begin to pull the fabric of the work apart - further enhanced during the 24 hour wood-firing. Using wood from the farm, the firing transforms the clay and glaze surface further, creating a permanent record of the works evolution.

As well as making wood-fired ceramics, Deiniol also makes earthenware tiles based on original medieval designs and geometric patterns.