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Welcome to the World of
Margaret Berry's Stoneware Sculptures

Margaret's inspiration is found in a combination of poetry, mythology, nature and experiences. She works in stoneware and fires an electric kiln. Her sculptures are part abstract, part lifelike.

She specialises in conceptual suspended ceramics in stoneware. 

To date, her largest conceptual suspended ceramic is a part running, part flying ten foot tall winged dragon.



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Conceptual Suspended Ceramics

Margaret uses a system derived from considering Salvidore Dali's "Exploding Raphaelesque Head", questioning what remains when the human form is removed from its tatoo, and reflecting on a lasting image of a seemingly endless bed of reeds touched by a setting sun.

Draig, Aspects of Love, Mary Jones, Take a Walk on the Wild Side, Butterfly, Mother Nature, Chrysalis, Hywel Dda, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd the Last True Prince of Wales, Taliesin, Robert Owen, Bryn Terfel amd Eifionydd.

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Inside Outside

Mammals (horses, hares, birds, cats, dormice), Aquatics (frogs, fish, crabs), The human form.

The majority of Margaret's sculptures are suitable for the outdoors, the exception being those suspended because they stir in the air.

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Function

Containers, fountains.

Margaret rarely makes pots. However they are typically sculptural, highly textured and often interactive.

She is currently experimenting with water vessels.

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Margaret's Methods

Margaret Berry's suspended ceramics were derived from considering Salvidore Dali's "Exploding Raphaelesque Head", tattooed skin and a reed bed lit by a low sun.

She works to a theme, identifying concepts of interest. Each concept is developed in turn. As each one is addressed, a design, or set of designs can materialise.

Her research includes reading around the subject, visiting galleries and museums, creating drawings, generating and reflecting on poetry and making sketch-clay models. Throughout the process she evaluates the use of textures, colours and alternative finishes. She questions the relevance of functionality and optimises methods.

Margaret vitrifies the clay using an electric kiln and uses a grog stoneware clay for its strength and suitability to frost conditions. One life-sized  human form in this medium has survived numerous heavy frosts as well as having a tree fall on it, its only damage oddly caused by the unsolicited human interaction, of pulling.

Margaret tends not to use armatures although these can accelerate the making process by supporting the clay body during the construction. She has a potter’s wheel but is reluctant to use it. She cautiously expands her understanding of glazes, aware of their infinite complexities in the kiln environment.

Pricing the Sculptures

Margaret prices her work based on the hours taken to sculpt, glaze and handle the piece through its firing cycles. She applies a labour hourly rate of minimum wage. She doesn’t charge the time taken in design because more than one sculpture can be derived from the initial cycle of analysis, design and test. It would be hard to apportion.

Her cost calculations consider the dimensions of the piece, its complexity/ technical difficulty to create, the pro-rata firing costs, incidental costs such as heating and light and the necessary numerous materials. She uses time and motion studies.

To finish, Margaret reviews each sculpture based on a number of weighted metrics such as whether the final piece was a successful interpretation of the original objective. Approximately 90% of the price is always in the labour hours to create it. The exception is the introduction of lustres such as platinum, gold, silver, pearl and so on.

Margaret currently uses neither plaster nor press moulds, nor does she use armatures. These have impacts on her labour time but she doesn’t yet feel her work is good enough for repeats, although she does feel the time to move to copies is close.

Example prices:
A seated hare about 30cm tall takes about 7 hours.
A seated hare about 45cm tall takes about 15 hours.
A hare standing on all four legs takes at least 15 hours.

A bust with hair that stands proud of the sculpture takes at least 30 hours.

A large suspended piece takes at least 140 hours. Framing is charged separately. Steel and timber framing are costed on application and these are optional. Sometimes a qualified engineer is required to confirm frame limitations for load.

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Seeing, Buying

Where it can be found:

Aberdovey Artworks, Mid-West Wales (Small pieces for sale)


Pili Palas, Menai Bridge, North Wales (Chrysalis, a suspended ceramic)


Reitacademie, Oberderdingen, Germany (Unicorn, the size of a reclining small pony)


Exhibitions are being planned.


No web-based sales but if interested please correspond. Delivery or collection may be possible.


Previous Significant Exhibitions    
  2015: Snape Maltings, Suffolk
  2014: Futures Gallery, Pierhead Building, Cardiff
  2011: Cywain Visitor Centre, Y Bala, NW Wales

Frequently Asked Questions

* Exhibitions are currently being scheduled. I hope to give that information shortly.

* Small pieces are for sale at "Aberdovey Artworks".

* Chrysalis, a large conceptual suspended ceramic is at Pili Palas at Menai Bridge, North Wales

* Unicorn a large assembled piece is at The Reitacademie, Oberderdingen, Germany

* I don't sell through the web but if you are interested in a piece we can correspond about it. Posting is unlikely to be an option but delivering or collecting is possible.

Each piece is currently made from scratch. Therefore 90% of the charge is labour. I charge minimum wage plus materials, firing and incidental costs.

* A seated 30cm tall hare takes about 7 hours

* A 45cm tall bust with hair standing proud of the sculpture takes at least 30 hours.

* A large suspended piece takes at least 140 hours. Framing is charged separately. Steel and timber are costed on application. Framing can be sought elsewhere.

I start with identifying a theme. This can come from an experience, observation or simply seeking out something interesting.

I explore the concept in a multi-faceted approach using numerous processes: I evaluate ideas through research, making notes and drawings, creating samples in various media, modelling ideas in clay samples, testing glazes and setting schedules. 

I currently use neither moulds nor armatures. I build from the raw clay by sculpting, subsequently hollowing and reassembling. This is likely to change in the near future.

The finishing colours are applied at various stages of development. I use a brush and spray. I rarely dip.

I fire an electric kiln.

I use carpentry to supplement some pieces.

I have run workshops in the past but haven't done so for some years.

I do have a selection of slides and ceramic samples for presentations. I have used clay samples for the audience to interact with the clay during the talk. An example was "A Touch of Clay" in 2021.

The majority are suitable for the outdoors, the exception being those suspended because they stir in the air. 

The fired clay is as hard as stone and is "frost proof". The finished piece is a heavily grogged vitrified stoneware.

What it will stand on should be considered and the sculpture should be sheltered from wind to prevent it toppling or something striking it.

Yes. The dust can be hazardous in close proximity and it can be quite physical and laborious. Some stages can be quite repetitive. Creating something I can hold is quite rewarding.

Contact Margaret

Thank you for your interest.

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Gallery 1

Conceptual Suspended Ceramics
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Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Life scale human on a swing,

Click the image for a pdf explanation.

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Draig, Dragon

3m x 3m x 3m 

Click the image for a pdf explanation.

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Mary Jones and her Bible

Mary Jones at the Bible Society in Swindon.

Click the image for a pdf explanation.

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Aspects of Love

(There should be a video soon)

Click the image for a pdf explanation.

and more: Butterfly, Mother Nature, Chrysalis, Hywel Dda, Llywelyn a Gruffydd the last true Prince of Wales, Taliesin, Robert Owen, Bryn Terfel, Eifionydd... Too much to document here.

Click here for a pdf summarising some other suspended ceramics..

Gallery 2

Inside Outside

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Human form (Miniature suspended ceramics, wall hung green men, table top busts...)

Click image above or the text below to see one example of the set.

Click here for the bust of Dylan Thomas

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Mammals (Hares, horses, birds, other)
Eg. Hare

Click above or below to see an example of the set.

Click here for Hares!

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Aquatics (Frogs, fish, crabs)

Click above or below to see an example of the set.

Click here for Crabs!

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Miscellaneous Pieces 

Just the one example: Journey.

Gallery 3

Function
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Ehedeg (Take Flight)

One of a set of four sculptures as "Elements". This represents "Air". A functional ceramic suitcase supports the owl. 
Read more..

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Water fountain

One of a set of four sculptures as "Elements" - Earth, Air, Fire and Water. 
Read more..

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Canvas pot

A hollowed, sculpted  pot. Techniques: Shape, add texture, hollow, complete the detail including stitch marks representing the "fabrics" being stitched. 

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Compartmentalised hare pot

A hare lies on an inverted slab pot supporting a sculpted egg shape pot. Formed of four separate components including the lid. 

Contact Alternatives

Phone

+44 (0) 7968030521

Address

Dolgellau, Mid-West Wales

Working Hours

8:00 - 18:00

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