MAKER IN FOCUS: JAYNE WALKER

Land vessels
9 March - 30 April 2018

Collectively called Land Vessels, these works have been inspired by the various effects of erosion on the landscape and geological strata which she experienced whilst walking the Welsh, Cornish and Scottish coastlines.

The Land Vessel sculptures are individually hand carved from Crystacal plaster which has first been cast into a former. After carving and sanding, pencil drawing is occasionally applied to the surface which is then fixed to stop any smudging of the pencil lines and then further sealed with layers of wax.

​Being a Boat Builder at Cardiff docks her father has been an important influence as Jayne tries to emulate his accurate eye for line and form. More recently inspiration has come from the more dramatic landscapes of British Columbia and Alberta. Maps showing contour lines and geological illustrations have also been of great interest along with nautical instruments – especially 19th century travel globes which are encased in leather hemispheres, thus being domed vessels for holding the miniature “earth”.

Jayne first used plaster while making moulds for her sculptural slip cast vessels in the final years of her ceramics degree course at West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham in 1980. Upon setting up her own studio, she realised that carving the models was more satisfying and immediate than casting and firing clay which is sometimes unpredictable.

After experimenting with carving soapstone and sandstone, she settled on plaster as she enjoyed the smooth silky finish which could be achieved without having to compromise on form, which sometimes happens when carving stone due to natural fissures and flaws. She could also control the surface of the plaster by adding line and/or colour which allowed her to combine the 3D forms with drawing.