Emily Gibbard, who studied at County Upper School in Bury St Edmunds, to exhibit at COLLECT 2024, in London from March 1 to 3

A Suffolk-born artist will be exhibiting her work at a leading international contemporary art fair in March.

Emily Gibbard, who lives in Bristol but attended County Upper High School, in Bury St Edmunds, will have a piece on display at COLLECT 2024, the 20th anniversary of the ceremony, at Somerset House, in London.

Her exhibit, called See Me, Hear Me, Touch Me, is a story of body perception, curves and strength.

She paid tribute to her education at County Upper in helping to launch her career, and particularly the tutelage of her teacher David Hodgson.

“I’d developed a method of throwing things at the pottery wheel and manipulating them into body parts. My piece is a feminist piece about body discovery, sexuality and female identity.

“I had a really inspirational art and design teacher at County Upper, David Hogdson, and he set me on my path for working in contemporary art.”

Emily studied art and design to A Level at County Upper, and she wants people to see what they feel and recognise in her exhibit.

Now primarily a ceramic artist, her move to Bristol kickstarted her career as a potter, where she trained in the discipline and now has her own studio where she teaches and mentors other artists.

She also has her work on show at Clay Is My Canvas, at New Brewery Arts in Cirencester.