Ex-Bury St Edmunds student turned ceramic artist Emily Gibbard launches crowdfundraiser to be part of Collect art fair in London

A former Bury St Edmunds student is crowdfunding to produce a large-scale sculpture to be on display at an art fair in London.

Ceramic artist Emily Gibbard was raised in Bury St Edmunds and studied art and design to A-level at County Upper School – now County High School - under the guidance of David Hodgson, head of art.

Emily, who now lives in Bristol, where her studio is based, has launched a fundraising appeal to create a piece made up of three giant ceramic totem sculptures.

The work, which will be made entirely from stoneware clay and decorated with Emily's layered glaze techniques, will take around four months to complete and will be installed at Somerset House in London for Collect art fair 2024.

In return for the ‘kindness’ of a donation, Emily will gift a handmade piece: a large or smaller vase or a mug.

On her crowdfunding page, she says: “Calling all art lovers: I'm seeking funding to build an extraordinary piece of ceramic artwork to go on display in February 2024.

“Funds are more limited than ever to support up-and-coming artists in making large-scale projects so I have decided to try and crowdfund for this piece.”

Emily will make each section of the totems by first throwing vessels on the potter's wheel and then manipulating them whilst the clay is still wet. Pieces will be torn, bent, pushed and stretched to create sculptural representations of the female form.

"My aim is to produce an installation of biomorphic sculpture which explores different configurations and perceptions of the human form,” said Emily. “The work will invite the viewer into a world of playful body representation as they walk among the totemic sculpture, connect with familiarity and ambiguity, and consider elements of sexuality."

Emily has been selected to exhibit the work on the global stage at the international Collect art fair at London's Somerset House in February 2024.