STORIES & NEWS

We’re pleased to welcome a new collection of ceramic plates by Japanese illustrator and painter Takashi Tsushima to the gallery. Based in Fukuoka, Tsushima is known for his whimsical visual language—his work blending soft, fluid lines with playful animal motifs. His distinctive style has found expression across a variety of media, from ceramics to textiles, and we’re pleased to share a short film below, kindly provided by ARKET, that offers a glimpse into his world and creative process. The video was produced as part of their collaboration, in which Tsushima illustrated a series of designs for a collection of woven blankets. A special thank you to ARKET for allowing us to feature this beautiful piece.   “I was born and raised in Fukuoka, and I don’t travel, so I have lived here my whole life. It’s a very compact and convenient city. With a bicycle, we can go both to urban areas, the mountains, or the ocean. … People look friendly and cheerful, and many of my friends are living close to me. I feel comfortable and happy in Fukuoka.” - Takashi Tsushima   This new collection of hand-drawn ceramic plates beautifully demonstrates his distinctive style, with a semi-transparent quality reminiscent of watercolour painting. Each plate is unique, capturing the charm of his expressive linework with animal and floral motifs. Tsushima’s approach reflects his belief in the interconnectedness of life: that animals, plants, and people exist in harmony. While his work has been “I’m not sure I can call myself an artist,” he says. “I never thought of becoming an artist, but I’ve loved drawing since I was a child. It was just a thing I could do... I’ve longed for working in relation to drawing, and for living with drawing. And here I am.” Playful and soulful, these pieces are not only functional ceramics, but little moments of storytelling.   Photography & videography courtesy of ARKET

Omega – the end of the line, and a transition to something new. In his show at Flow Gallery, Greg Kent presents his oak sculptures, which capture the dichotomy of nature’s fragility and strength. His technique of turning and sandblasting oak, a process first developed by French woodturnerPascal Oudet, reveals the intricate, organic patterns formed by the tree’s growth. “Turning wood is like uncovering buried treasure as the wood reveals its history, and its struggles. This is manifest in the growth rings, grain patterns and colours. I am interested in the beauty of the wood and by working with wood I want to tell its story and use it to explore narratives.”   “For me, wood and trees are a fundamental part of our existence. They have sustained us in so many ways including: fire, building materials, tools, water storage, furniture and paper. Crucially, they provide us with oxygen and remove carbon from the atmosphere. Woodturning provides an opportunity to give wood another existence rather than being turned into firewood. I work hard to collect wood from local tree surgeons that would have been used as fire wood. The wood is then 'turned green', this means whilst it is still wet. The wood is turned to a thickness of 2mm and allowed to dry. When dry the wood is sandblasted. This process removes the softer spring growth, revealing fine, textured patterns unique to each piece. This can only be done with oak which has medullary rays which go across the growth rings. This involves combining both wood turning and sculpting. What is produced, in my view, is fine art created by nature, and revealed by a craftsman.”   “The Omega exhibition represents a major turning point in my craft journey as I start to explore and make the most of the opportunities offered to me as a result of my QEST Scholarship.” - Greg Kent

The display, featuring Japanese artists and others that were sympathetic to Japanese aesthetics, was layered to resemble a collection accumulated over time. It offered a curated glimpse into the serene yet dynamic relationship between the makers, their materials, and the spaces they inhabit.Our stand’s curation centred on natural materials and these textures had a beautiful response to the sunlight.   A key part of the stand’s curation was a furniture collection byJames Trundle & Isobel Napier . This new body of work uses digital techniques to simulate the natural contours of the timber. This collection explores the interplay between the exacting nature of digital design and the organic, tactile qualities of natural materials.   YORIKO MURAYAMA Japanese Glass Artist Photography by Isobel Napier

“Ahead of our showcase with Flow at Collect 2025, join us on a trip to the timber yard as we search for characterful boards from London trees, to make our new body of work”. “At the heart of our craft is a profound respect for the timber we use. It forms the foundation of our work, with each piece shaped by the unique character and story embedded in the wood. All the timber used within our pieces is sourced from Fallen and Felled, a London-based timber yard dedicated to rescuing trees from the incinerator. By choosing timber not grown for commercial purposes, we make a conscious effort to use resources that would be overlooked, allowing us to incorporate unique and distinctive wood varieties into our designs. This practice not only supports sustainability, but also enhances the character of our furniture. Our designs highlight the intrinsic beauty of these timbers, embracing their natural features—knots, splits, and irregularities included. By incorporating these characteristics as distinctive elements of our designs, we collaborate with the material, minimising unnecessary removal and reducing waste off-cuts to the absolute minimum.” - James Trundle

Drawn to finding character and a human-like semblance in inanimate objects, Ghanaian born silversmithFrancisca Onumah creates ambiguous vessels and jewellery that reflect vulnerabilities and strengths through their anthropomorphic forms. Working from sheet metal, she subtly layers different marks, patterns and textures by repeatedly hammering, fold forming and impressing textile patterns onto the surface of the metal. She tells Flow more about her techniques, inspirations and the forms she is most drawn to.     What draws you to the vessel form? There’s something about the vessel, it’s such a recognisable and relatable form. In the vessel form I see different figurative aspects to it – features such as the body of the vessels, the feet, the mouth, can be translated in so many different ways. Some of my earlier work was inspired by different types of vessels, like marine vessels inspired from the Dockyards that I grew up by in Kent. I now make vessels inspired by the human form, which is a vessel in itself. There’s a really lovely connection we have with vessels that I enjoy, I always love watching people pick up and interact with the vessels the way they hold them. The forms as well as the textures really encourage that.     What inspires the patterns on the surfaces of your pieces? I’ve always been inspired by textiles patterns and motifs. I particularly love looking at Ghanaian textiles, batik prints, Kente cloth and mud cloths. I bring these motifs and patterns into my pieces by creating pleats and folds in the surfaces as well as combining hammered textures with fabric textures taken from calico and tulle fabrics.     How do you develop your designs? I tend to design as I’m making, I love drawing using different 2D media such as graphite pencils, pastels, ink. I find inspiration from old photographs of African villages, looking at the architecture, figures and textiles. I also love the work of sculptors such as Brancusi, Henry Moore and potters like Lucie Rie and Magdalene Odundo. I love the organic and figurative forms of these sculptors and makers. I start off with initial rough sketches of different forms and work from there. I usually work from sheet metal, creating the surface textures with different mark making techniques, using textured hammers, and fold forming. I will then use the traditional silversmithing technique of raising to create the vessel forms. As I’m making, I’ll tend to combine different shapes and forms together to further develop the final form of the vessels. The making process can be quite therapeutic. From the rhythmic noise of hammering – both in raising and in hammering the textures on to the surface – to the repetitive and slow process of folding individual pleats onto the surface.     What first drew you to silversmithing? I have always been drawn to art and design, and knew from a young age that I would end up in a creative career. I initially wanted to study either interior design or architecture at university, however, after doing a foundation course at the University for the Creative Arts in Rochester (which is unfortunately now closed), I fell in love with contemporary art jewellery. I loved being able to make tangible objects and seeing the way sculptural objects interacted with the body. I was first introduced to silversmithing on my BA at Birmingham City University’s prestigious School of Jewellery. My initial interest was in jewellery and adornment. The course was more focused on contemporary / art jewellery design, with a few short masterclasses in silversmithing. I became more and more interested in the skills of silversmithing in the second and third year of my BA course. I really enjoyed the physicality of silversmithing and the breadth of techniques you could use within it. I also loved the sculptural scope with silversmithing.     How does your work engage with or subvert these silversmithing traditions? I enjoy using traditional silversmithing techniques such as raising, however I like to be quite intuitive with my making process. For example, I tend to hammer the textures onto the sheet metal before I raise the form, instead of doing this afterwards. I find that it gives a less uniform finish on the vessels and allows for the texture to be adapted in an organic way whilst in raising. Instead of using a raising hammer, I use a rawhide mallet that I’ve adjusted to have the shape of a raising hammer – this allows the marks that I’ve already put in to remain on the surface. There’s a rich history silversmithing, especially in Sheffield, and I really appreciate the years of developing its different skills. Like most traditional crafts in the UK, the techniques aren’t being passed on to the next generation as thoroughly as it would have been in the past which is such a shame. And even though lot of the traditional techniques are still being used, silversmithing looks completely different from what it did 50, 30, even 20 years ago. I think it’s important for the next generation of makers to understand and use the traditional techniques and pass them on; however, tools and materials have changed, which means we adapt the way we make things. In the past, a lot of silversmiths worked for a big company, where they’d work on a specific element of a piece whilst making batches of the same pieces. They would be skilled in a very specific skill like tray sinking or spinning. Now, however, most of the piece would be made by an individual maker, who will then outsource very few elements to tradespeople.     Your forms could be seen as anthropomorphic and having ‘postures’ and conversations, is this something you intentionally seek to achieve? I’m really drawn to the relationship between people and objects, the way in which people relate to and interact with objects. I’m particularly drawn to forms that have a vulnerability to them, the vulnerable postures and conversations are almost like the vessels are inviting you in and as if they have a history or story they want you to be drawn into. This links in with the ideas of imperfection and accepting the marks during the making process – these tell a story of the life that the vessel has lived whilst being made. I make my vessels in groups and throughout the making process I sit them together as if they are having conversations between them, I look at the way they sit together. I’m reminded of familial connections that I hold dear to me. I come from a big Ghanaian family and the act of family, close and extended, is a very ritualistic act. I visited Ghana for the first time in 20 years last year. Throughout my trip I found that families gathering together, eating together and sharing stories is a very central value that we as Ghanaians hold.     What interests you in ideas of imperfection/perfection? I always found the Japanese theory of Wabi-Sabi (acceptance of imperfections and transience) really interesting. The idea that an object in its brokenness can be made beautiful through its so-called imperfections. When I was studying Jewellery and silversmithing at University, there was a lot of focus, especially in silversmithing, on creating perfectly made pieces. This tends to mean neat and perfectly soldered seams, or polished surfaces. I found that quite constraining and found that the more I focused on the idea of perfection, the less creative I was in making. So I used that as a starting point for my MA project, looking at the imperfections in creating a vessel, highlighting the seams and the solder joins, purposely creating bruises and scuffed marks in the surfaces of my pieces. This led me to seeing a connection with the vessel and the human form and led me to develop the more anthropomorphic characteristics of my current work. I used to be a perfectionist when it came to my art and I would rip out pages in sketch books if they weren't perfect. I would be very particular and spend way too long making a piece of art. This exploration of Wabi-Sabi made me address the issue of perfectionism within myself and has made me more creative in my practice.   Francisca Onumah has been the recipient of the prestigious Jerwood Prize and has work in notable collections including The V&A, The Walker Art Gallery, Sheffield Museums and Sheffield Assay Office.   Interview by Alina Young

This week we celebrated our Silver Anniversary with an English Sparkling Wine tasting - tasting from bespoke silver vessels made by metal artist Adi Toch, and a special collection of champagne flutes by glass artist Jochen Holz. Thank you to Alfie Glasser of Liberty Wines, for joining us for the evening and talking us through the flourishing world of English sparkling wine. Aflie said of the experience: “After exploring the historical context and potential impact of drinking wine out of silver vessels, I concluded that very little would happen to the wines. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the wine tasted from the inert glass vessel, seemed to have more body and a riper fruit character. What was also surprising, was that when tasting the wines from Adi’s goblets, the silver accentuated the Langham’s expression of site: I truly could taste the Jurassic Coastline. The wine felt clean, pure, and vibrant, highlighting the briny minerality of this coastal wine.”   Adi Toch : “As an artist, vessels and containers offer an innate method of communication for me, conveying a multiplicity of narratives including gathering, holding or carrying.”   Jochen Holz : “This set of hand blown, lampwork glassware aims to bring together a spontaneous & improvisational flow to the making.”   Photography by Isobel Napier

Working with glass and ceramic vessels from Flow’s collection, as well as personal pieces that our collectors brought in from home, Frida showed us how to bring them to life with flowers.   Frida Kim “Design, beauty, art, nature and fashion have always inspired me. For many years I ran my own custom jewellery business in Seoul. After moving to London I fell in love with English winter gardens and the beauty of English Flowers. My curiosity and passion took over my life. I have had the fortune to learn from great teachers who shared their wisdom and skills with me.”   Philosophy “Each pure in its imperfection and alluring in its beauty, flowers carry stories to be told. It is these stories that captivate me as a florist. I am driven to give flowers a voice and make their stories heard. Taken by the ephemeral and delicate grace of each flower, I become a vessel to unite their elegance and wild nature. I strive to do each story justice by the meticulous choice and combination of colours, creating depth and warmth though the tones and textures of each petal, leaf and stem. Each flower and foliage are given their own space – a balance that allows each to shine without outshining the others. In their togetherness, flowers become the words and emotions to their own story. Just as it is at the hands of the florist that flowers gain meaning, it is through the careful arrangement of flowers that I expresse my life. In the spaces between the petals you will discover my story.” - Frida Kim   Photography by Lisa Stockham

To initiate the start of their exhibition with Flow, South Korean potters Seong-Il Hong & Hye-Jin Lee lead a Korean tea tasting featuring their handmade made tea ware. Seong-Il and his wife Hye-Jin are based in Boseong in the south-west of South Korea, where most of the country’s tea is grown. The studio they run together looks out onto the local valley and tea plantations. They bought local teas as well, water and ingredients to recreate at Flow the feeling their home and studio.   Beauty in Everyday Moments “Unlike pure art, crafts serve as a medium for communication, enabling people to connect with one another. I discovered that teawares, in particular, are captivating because they allow individuals to enjoy a more leisurely and beautiful aesthetic experience in their daily lives. While there are mass-produced wares that are widely used, the world of art I pursue focuses on creating delicate and intricate pieces with more care. I want those who view my work to find their own aesthetic sense and meaning in it, allowing the pieces to remain significant in their lives for a long time. Bridging the gap between “good-looking” pottery and “good-to-use” pottery, teaware is a craft that neither overflows nor excludes its functional or aesthetic elements, but is special to everyone. This balance is at the heart of my creations. This is my approach to creating pottery, and I hope that those who encounter my work will feel its essence. As the saying goes, ‘Big changes start from small things,’ I will continue to strive to create works that remain a friendly presence in our ever-changing lives.” - Seong-Il Hong   Videography by @monstar.play Photography by @monstar.play & Isobel Napier

"I enjoy the flexibility and the spontaneous changes that are possible when weaving by hand. I observe and constantly re-assess how these weave structures materialise in the fabric during weaving." Catarina Riccabona is a hand-weaver creating unique pieces, mainly throws and, more recently, wall hangings. “For me, the process of hand-weaving is endlessly intriguing and keeps informing and pushing my work. Its slow-paced, contemplative nature and the possibility to make changes spontaneously offer a dimension that goes beyond the mere production of a piece.” This process is key for creating her designs. “When I start a piece, I often don’t know what it will look like finished. I work at the loom in a spontaneous, intuitive manner thereby simultaneously creating and executing ideas. Each piece is a unique arrangement of elements and a new composition.”   Catarina’s hand-woven throws are made with a blend of materials; the warp is natural white (unbleached) alpaca wool, with a small amount of natural white alpaca. This gives the throws an unmatched softness and tactility. The colourful wefts use recycled linens and cottons, as well as wools and natural white alpaca.   "My practice is based on environmental values. I often use unbleached and undyed linen in my warps. My choice of weft yarns is limited to naturally eco-friendly yarns like linen, hemp, undyed or plant-dyed wools and undyed alpaca from the UK. If I use any other types of yarn, like cotton, it comes in the form of a second-hand or recycled yarn. For colour, I use plant-dyed wool by a natural dyer from Finland, second-hand yarns or recycled yarns from a British company who process industrial surplus into new yarns." - Catarina Riccabona   Studio Photographs by Yuki Sugiura

  What is your process for developing designs? I start by sketching and painting from found objects, mainly from nature, redrawing and painting them until I feel they’re right. I then model them in clay to see the actual depth the piece might involve. It’s better to have a 3D visualisation for a form before going into the hot shop as once we start working with hot glass, decisions have to be made very quickly. There’s no time to pause and rethink a piece. We work in the moment. Each step of planning and making involves an editing phase. Like the material, I tend to work quite fluidly, changing certain perspectives when they become apparent. Could you tell us about the relationship between your design process and making the works in the hot shop? With the slower design process, I digest the idea over time. The immediacy of making in the hot shop is more instinctual, and intrinsic. Without one you couldn’t have the other.     How do your ideas for colours translate to the finished piece? I work quite a bit with watercolour paint as it has an immediacy which translates well with blown glass. I look at a lot of fine arts and painting. I then match glass colours to my sketches. Coloured glass, however, contains metal oxides which react differently under different temperatures. I always sample my glass pieces first before executing them. I find it quite thrilling when another colour appears due to the reactions of two colours together, which may then change my original ideas for a piece. Could you tell us about the techniques you use for creating colour and shaping the pieces? I use rods of coloured glass which I then cut into pieces, depending on the intensity I’m after. These are heated up in the furnace and coated with a gather or layer of clear glass, often two layers. As the form is blown larger, each colour expands or contracts depending on how soft or hard the colour is. Unlike other materials, with glass the form and colour evolve simultaneously. I hand-shape the pieces using wads of damp newspaper to protect my hands against the heat. It feels more personal shaping the glass forms this way rather than using moulds, as I feel it creates more character.     How do you find inspiration for the fluid, asymmetrical forms of your pieces? My inspiration for the asymmetrical forms is mainly found in nature. I’m always surprised how much weather, sea and other natural elements shape natural material. While walking along Fossil Bay near Margate, I was amazed at how many miniature Henry Moore’s and Jean Arp sculptures I could see in the stones. How do their forms interact with colour? Colour has always been a major source for me. There’s an infinite number of gradations and tones when looking at a water source or the sky, or the way colours bleed and fade when plant life starts to decay. The forms interact with colour by the way light reflects across the shape and illuminates it. Light with colour creates another dimension.     Light is integral to your work – do you design with light in mind? What do you find interesting about the interaction of light with the finished piece? Light and glass are the perfect marriage. Light is integral to glass and has the capacity to change it both drastically and minimally. It compliments glass to no end. What’s wonderful about how a glass object is the way it can change throughout the day. From morning to dusk, the same object can look completely different depending on the light source. What looks opaque can look transparent, what appears dark and all one tone, with sunlight a completely different hue can appear.   Interview by Alina Young. Flow photography by Isobel Napier Studio photography by Sylvain Deleu

Featuring ceramics by Cécile Daladier & Derek Wilson; glass by Celia Dowson, and baskets by Shannon Clegg & Lizzie Kimbley, among others.   This curated collection celebrates the beauty and diversity of natural colours and textures. By selecting pieces that showcase the intricate hues found in nature, the selection appeals to the senses. At the centre of this curation are smooth ceramic and glass surfaces, which provide a clarity and contrast to the more rugged textures of other natural materials. The collection includes textured pieces crafted from dried flowers and woven fibers. These tactile elements and patterns bring a sense of warmth and earthiness. Together, they form a collection that reflects summer’s diversity and the pleasure of combining contrasting elements.   Photography by Isobel Napier

Rin-ne Tensho 輪廻転生 –n. the cycles of reincarnation rin-ne: circle, a wheel revolving, an endless cycle tensho: transmigration of life, birth, death From Japanese Buddhism   Whilst preparing her new solo exhibition for Flow, Akiko Hirai has been inspired by the changing seasons on her daily walk to the studio. "Lately, it rains a lot, and the green comes out. So, it's water and colour. On the surface of these pots, there is texture - that is rain. There is a little green on the outside. These are the themes of the faceted pieces. The dark one is more towards the night. But recently, when I go home it's still bright - so I only made one in this collection. When it's brighter outside, I find myself making brighter things. It comes naturally with handmade things, they reflect what you see." “Between table-top and art, castle and hut, the natural and the man-made, the beautiful and the ugly, the fragile and the coarse ... just in-between.”   Akiko's title for the show, "Rin-ne Tensho 輪廻転生", relates to reincarnation and the cycles of life. Alongside her inspiration from the changing seasons, she relates to a sense of circularity in her process - the cyclical nature of accumulation and disintegration."In the plates, it's the thickness of the slip underneath; under the white slip, which crackles, it’s dark. You rotate the plate after applying it, to move the slip around; where it’s the thicker part, it’s the bigger crack, where it’s the thinner part, it’s the finer crack. Where it’s thinly applied and you can see more green, you can see things growing. This is accumulation. The Moon Jar is also about many things accumulated, growing… the very quiet ones too. When the accumulation gets too much, it comes off. It’s the natural cycle. It’s circulating. In a word, this is Rin-ne Tensho, reincarnation."   Akiko Hirai has shown with Flow Gallery for over 15 years, and so we are delighted to be hosting this solo exhibition during our 25th anniversary celebrations.   Interview & Text by Alina YoungPhotography by Isobel Napier

Vezzini & Chen Vezzini & Chen is a London-based artist duo. This collection features varying forms and patterns created through glass-blowing and carving techniques. The vessels are inspired by the experience of looking at forms through water, seeing textures & shapes shift with the depth or disturbance of the surface.   Natural Forms Natural forms inspire Michèle Oberdieck. She explores balance and asymmetry by looking at shape, surface and colour, using the vessel as a means. A three-dimensional form becomes a gesture or expressive mark. Michèle is drawn to biomorphic shapes found in plant growth and decay such as the delicate forms tulip petals take when making this journey. These beautiful twisted organic shapes reveal the motion of ageing stopped in its tracks. It is this transformation that she aims to capture in the glass. “I aim to capture movement & character using the fluidity of blown glass by turning away from symmetry, to recreate the organic shapes found in nature.”   Photography by Isobel Napier.

Featuring ceramics by Paul Philp, Chloé Rosetta Bell, Derek Wilson & Borja Moronta. Glass by Michèle Oberdieck & Celia Dowson and floral sculpture by Shannon Clegg.   Chloé Rosetta Bell Chloé Rosetta Bell's latest collection of pieces are thrown in a blend of stoneware and wild clay from the landslip below Chloé’s studio. Each is finished with two glazes. The first glaze uses crab and lobster shells which is a by-product of a local fisherman. The second is a seaweed ash glaze using seaweed from the bay below her studio. All materials are sourced by Chloé herself or a local fisherman just below her studio.   Paul Philp Paul Philp has been making ceramics for over 50 years. His ceramics are hand-built and fired multiple times. Thin layers of slip, organic material and glaze build and strip away to reveal a subtle yet intricate depth in his surfaces. His influences include Japanese MinKa building, architecture, tribal and ancient art, but above all, the natural world.   Borja Moronta Moss Green and Mist Blue Glaze Each stage of Borja Moronta’s process leads to humble ceramic pieces that condense his upbringing on the northern Spanish coast; its colours, textures and pace. He aims to create calm and neutral minimalistic objects and compositions, following simple forms in a soft tone palette hoping to alleviate the eye.   Michèle Oberdieck Michèle Oberdieck is drawn to biomorphic shapes found in plant growth and decay such as the delicate forms tulip petals take when making this journey. These beautiful twisted organic shapes reveal the motion of ageing stopped in its tracks. It is this transformation that she aims to capture in the glass.     “I aim to capture movement & character using the fluidity of blown glass by turning away from symmetry, in an attempt to recreate the organic shapes found in nature." - Michèle Oberdieck

  This May and June, Shannon Clegg’s botanical sculptures are blooming at Flow Gallery. Reimagining the traditional art of pressing flowers in three-dimensional form, her designs are made from a delicate lattice of stems that enable the flowers to stand unfettered by a vase.   “For me making is more than just producing; it's a way to re-engage with the natural world. Innovating traditional craft practices, like flower pressing, goes beyond methods; it's about modernising our heritage and fostering sustainability.” - Shannon Clegg   Shannon Clegg creates botanical sculptures using a unique hand-moulding technique and fresh-cut flowers, such as Statice and Kangaroo Paw. Working from fresh rather than dried flowers, she reimagines the traditional craft process of flower pressing: her three-dimensional, sculptural interpretation preserves the dynamism of flowers growing in nature. Her flower sculptures look to biophilic design, which reflects the human desire to connect with nature in the built environment for well-being reasons by integrating natural elements into one’s interior space. Through the utilisation and reimagining of traditional craft skills, her practice investigates the narrative potential of making to encourage a better human-nature relationship.   The technique she uses is therefore entirely innovative. To develop the process, she based her research at The Herbarium at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, looking through archival methods for storing pressed flowers and equipment used by botanists to collect flowers from around the world. Investigating the mould-making of other crafts such as ceramic and millinery, she then created her own technique to form and press real plant material to create vase-like sculptures. The technique involves hand-making moulds that are used to shape the plant material over several weeks after which they are preserved to help retain the flower’s colour and shape.   Shannon’s collection made specially for Flow Gallery uses seasonal flowers that she hand-selects at flower markets, and her flowers are sourced both locally and abroad. The pieces in this showcase use Kangaroo Paw, Lavender and Statice, which are all flowers that Shannon favours for their strength and textural richness. The combination of their natural structural qualities and Shannon’s preservation techniques enable to flowers to stand upright, as if freshly picked or even still growing from the earth. In this way, she not only preserves the flowers’ botany, but the essence of flowers in bloom.   About Shannon Clegg South African-born Shannon Clegg is a designer-maker based in East London who looks to innovate traditional craft processes to create objects that connect people to nature. She grew up amongst the flora of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa where she trained as a tailor. After a brief stint in fashion, she realised she had “issues with the ethics of production in the industry” so packed her bags for London, hoping to discover different contexts for making. She went on to study BA in Contemporary Crafts at Falmouth University in Cornwall and MA in Product and Furniture Design at Kingston University in London.

Informed by movements in nature, Celia’s work reflects the colours, the changing light, and mystery of the natural world. The finished pieces encompass the study of colour and translucency through gradation and opacity and light. Through these qualities her work creates a contemplative space to reflect upon the rhythms of the atmosphere, and our innate connection to the objects we use and spaces we inhabit.   Celia is pleased to share these new drinking glasses, forms made through observation of water; inspiration gathered during quiet walks along the foreshore of the River Thames. “It’s a peaceful place and I was drawn in by the softness of the water and its ability to absorb light resulting in a spectrum of colours that glow across its surface, textured by the pull of the tide…these pieces reflect the clarity of clear, deep grey blues on a darker day and evening light, glow, pink.” The glass is left satin, with only the rim and base polished so you can see into the depth of the glass, its molten textures and the clarity of the glass.   About Celia Dowson Celia Dowson ’s glass pieces go beyond the classical concepts of function, quietly offering moments for reflection and contemplation. Made using kiln casting techniques, the pieces are cast for several days allowing the glass to fold and melt into the mould, capturing bubbles in its depth. While this process creates fluidity and movement in the pieces, the modelling and finishing processes are always very controlled with precise carving, sanding and polishing stages.   “The forms I make are symmetrical and there needs to be real clarity in the surface finish. Models are made with varying thicknesses. Glass pools into these shapes, creating subtle changes in colour. Light interacts with polished and satin surfaces, reflecting and refracting in beautiful ways.” - Celia Dowson   Artwork Photography by Isobel Napier Celia Dowson Portraits by Emma Dudlyke

The Rule of Three is a principle in literature, suggesting that a trio of entities holds a unique potency. Authors employ this technique in storytelling, crafting triplets or structures divided into three parts. At its essence lies the simplicity of beginning, middle, and end. Blending brevity with rhythm to create a pattern with the minimal amount of information, this can create tension, energy, and intrigue. Reflecting on this concept through photography, we explore pieces from Flow's collection, in threes.    JEAJUN LEE | CELIA DOWSON Flared Vessels   YUTA SEGAWA | CELIA DOWSON Miniature Vessels   YUTA SEGAWA | SUE PARASKEVA Porcelain Vessels   MASAMICHI YOSHIKAWA | JAEJUN LEE Celadon Vessels   JAEJUN LEE | Grey Vessels   CELIA DOWSON | Seascape Vessels   Photography by Isobel Napier

Abigail Schama welcomed Flow’s Alina Young and Isobel Napier into her North-West London studio; a lively creative space that Schama co-founded, where resident ceramicists are joined by a photographer, a writer and evening class students. Schama’s ceramic works from past exhibitions are displayed across the studio – an environment she calls her “sketchbook”. She sits down with Alina Young to discuss her approach to making and her intuitive process.   Since she began working with clay, Schama has been drawn to functional forms. Schama chooses to create vessels for their connection to domesticity – as commonplace objects, bowls, jugs or vases carry immediate associations that she enjoys playing with: “From my first pieces, there was a discussion about functionality and non-functionality. I’ve always worked with vessels because the starting point is familiarity; then, you can move away from it in a way that challenges people. You can only challenge if you start with what people know, and what they know is – jug, bowl, plate. And then – it’s still a jug – it absolutely functions, but it’s dancing. She would still do the job, but I’m teasing a little bit, playing with your expectations and what you’re comfortable with. Comfort is the opposite of art.”   The bodies of her vessels become her canvas for textured, highly expressive surfaces. Schama first trained as a fine art painter, which continues to inspire her. “I can’t help it – I love painting. I am not satisfied with just a perfect skin that’s flat, it won’t necessarily do it for me. So, I will keep trying to eke out something, as though I was painting it. Even when I was painting, I was uncovering rather than covering. So I still approach it that way.” There is no set tool, glaze or technique that Schama uses to achieve these effects. “I’ll use anything,” she explains: “I’m quite relaxed to be playful, see what happens. I’m not a chemically-minded or calculated kind of maker, and I don’t really want to be because I like the element of surprise. I like to see how something really did work on some pots, whilst on others it didn’t – so I’ll pick it up again and make it happen. In terms of colour, paint, and mark-making, I’m persistent. But also the beauty of ceramics is that you have to surrender if something doesn’t work.”   The element of surprise also applies to the clay body. Schama regularly throws with a reclaimed clay mixture, composed of an unknown combination of clays that she and the studio’s other makers are using – including stoneware, porcelain, terracotta, black and red clays. The complexion of each piece therefore represents a snapshot of a period in time, remaining unpredictable and unique. “I’ve been using the reclaimed clay since we moved in. It’s often thrown away, so once we opened this studio I resolved to make it my business to reclaim and use it. I want to show how it’s not rubbish or redundant. There are many challenges with it; it took me time to figure out that, due to the different clays and whatever impurities are in it, you have to fire at a much lower temperature than you expect so that it doesn’t blister. The second thing is the colour – when you throw with it, it’s the most spectacular pink, but generally comes out sandy. But even when I’m not using the reclaimed clay, I never use just straight up stoneware on its own. I use black, I use red, I use grey. I go between them intuitively.”

Each piece of this collection by Tamotsu Suzuki is made from a red clay with a “kohiki’ style slip. The textural quality of this surface makes for a tactile, tranquil process. Paired here with a bowl in Walnut, by French wood artist Etienne Bailleul, and gold plated spoon by Japanese jeweller, Kei Tominaga. Based in Yamanashi on the island of Honshu, southwest of Tokyo, Suzuki studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Inspired by plants that live powerfully in nature, his work is reminiscent of organic plant forms and textures. “All my work is hand built, showing the traces of my fingers. I am in awe of plants with delicate & tough forms. I feel them at our fingertips.” - Tamotsu Suzuki   Sculptor and designer Etienne Bailleul has a similar reverence for nature. Living and working in Lower Normandy, France, Bailleul’s fascination with plant forms inspires the design of his work, exploring the softness of organic lines and a sense of growth. His pieces unify function with sculptural beauty, becoming deeply expressive meditations on nature. “I use powerful and delicate shapes to express the beauty and the fragility of nature. I’m mostly inspired by plants – simple organisms that are extremely durable and resilient.” - Etienne Bailleul

Developing her interest in capturing the landscape of the South Downs in porcelain, Elaine Sheppard Bolt’s new wall pieces present delicately modelled plants in calming compositions.   Sheppard Bolt creates wall pieces featuring ceramic and mixed media compositions that blur the boundaries between the made and the found. Some works incorporate nature-inspired pieces alongside domestic motifs such as household utensils; further exploring the interaction between made objects and the natural world.   “Finished in a muted colour palette, all of these works are informed by colours and tones found in the landscape of the South Downs; featuring deep flint blacks, through soft grey stony glazes to ghostly chalk tones.” - Elaine Sheppard Bolt   These compositions are often displayed in formats that reference museum or botanical collections, and are inspired by objects and places observed on walks in the woodland and shoreline of the Sussex landscape. Her newest pieces combine porcelain, with oxides, twigs, lichen, acorns and wire, and have been mounted on board within a specially made stained and waxed beech frame.

Ahead of Flow’s 2024 solo show with Irish basketmaker Joe Hogan, he shares his writing on “Nests”, a dimension of his practice that he has been exploring since 2012.   Nests – An Introduction by Joe Hogan I have been making nests now since about 2012. These started small but in the last few years, I have tried to expand the size to include nests of larger birds. The aim has not been to make copies of the nests of various species of birds but rather to make nest-like objects which prompt the feeling that we are looking at a bird's nest and thus evoke some of the feelings of joy and wonder which might accompany the finding of nests in the wild. The nests have an artlessness to them as I do not want it to be obvious that they have been made by a person. They celebrate the lives of birds and also explore what it means to be “at home in the world”. This nest-making was prompted by a number of things. One was my belief that many of us have lost our natural sense of what it means to be at home here in this world. We have lost the feeling that we too are part of nature. The lack of this feeling of belonging may explain our failure to properly address the ecological problems we face as a species. I wanted to make objects that might, in some vague way, rekindle our connection with the world of twigs and stones and remind us of the joyful surprise we might feel when we encounter nature's abundance. Rachel Carson remarked that the greatest gift we can give a child is the gift of “a sense of wonder” and hoped it would be “so indestructible that it would last throughout life”. In the essayMossbawn Seamus Heaney remarks: “All children want to crouch into their secret nests....I spent time in the throat of an old willow tree...once you squeezed through it you were at the heart of a different life.” But many of us lose this childlike capacity to see the world with wondrous eyes. The project also seeks to highlight the shocking collapse in bird numbers over the last 20 years and the general loss of bio-diversity that has helped to cause this decline, especially the loss of habitat and the decline of insect life. Our attitude to insects often seems to revolve around how to kill them rather than celebrating them. It is easy to forget how essential insects are for pollination and for helping the process of decomposition.   Making Nests by Joe Hogan About sixty years ago, Mao Tse Tung had what he thought was a flash of insight. If the sparrows could be prevented from eating grain then there would be more left for the people to eat. And so began a period of persecution for the sparrows. The level of obedience in China at the time was so great that most of the population joined in the campaign. They used drums to prevent sparrows from landing. As soon as a sparrow stopped to rest they were hunted away and many of them simply died of exhaustion. Millions of sparrows died and they became close to extinction in China… Did this lead to more grain for the people? Not exactly. Instead, there was a plague of locusts the following year. The locusts had lost their main predator. Grain production collapsed over the next two years and there was a huge famine. Official figures put the death toll of that famine at 17 million people but it is estimated by most experts that the death toll was at least 45 million people. Moreover in order to eradicate the locusts poisonous chemicals were used with the result that many beneficial insects were killed. Some crops had to be hand-pollinated. This story illustrates the inter-connectedness of all living things, the discipline now known as ecology. Long before the word ecology was ever heard of, Chief Seattle spoke about the “great web” and how important it was that we understand that “we did not make the great web, we are merely a strand in it”. The UN has recently warned of a catastrophic loss of biodiversity with the loss of insect populations being particularly marked. It is very easy to overlook the importance of insects, their role in pollination, in breaking down all natural materials back into the soil and of course as food for birds. There has also been a dramatic decrease in the number of birds over the skies of Europe and north America over the last 30 years. And so this project is for me a way to explore and educate myself about biodiversity loss. But this is only one of the strands woven into it. It is also a way to explore what it means to be at home in the world. One of the seed ideas that started this project was an image from Mary Oliver's poem, Wild Geese where she talks about the world “offering itself to our imagination”, calling to us like the wild geese, reminding each one of us of our place in the “ family of things”. Other images fed this desire to make nests such as Wendell Berry's “the peace of wild things” and Yeat's lines (even though not about a bird's nest) that “the mountain grass does not forget where the mountain hare has lain”. Inspiration also came from the wonderful imagery of birds that runs through Eamon Grennan's poems. But of course, it also comes back to making. To exploring materials, what they will or will not do. The materials suggest possibilities, other ideas arise. With these nests I am trying to make things that do not show the way they are made – that seem almost artless. Past experience using heather to make lobster pots helps and leads to other materials, birch, larch, lichen. Ideas arise again. What is it to be at home? What is it like to be homeless? A cardboard box and a sleeping bag as a human nest. Another type of homelessness is to be cast out from your own place in the world, a migrant in a world obsessed with borders. Amongst the graffiti in the “jungle” near Calais, a phrase, “we borrow the hearts of the migratory birds who do not trouble themselves with borders.” What chance that we could learn from the birds and realise the connections that bind us?

  15th - 27th October 2023   Flow’s Gallery Director Yvonna Demczynska together with cultural voyager Cathy Giangrande led a group across South Korea to discover the richness and diversity of Korean crafts, past and present. The tour discovered the revered galleries of Seoul and the ceramic village of Icheon, travelled south to the tea fields of Gwangju, the Gangjin Celadons and the Mokpo Marine Relics, and took in the scenic temples and national parks of Gyeongju – to name but a few of the sights. At every corner, they visited internationally acclaimed as well as emerging artists in their studios, receiving talks directly from the makers about their practice. The tour included visits to the key galleries and museums, as well as some lesser known institutions, with specially organised talks by leading Korean curators. To remember the trip, those who took part in the tour have kindly offered some words and photos about their experiences.     “Yet again, Flow Gallery’s Yvonna Demczynska, and her partner on these tours, the cultural voyager, Cathy Giangrande, delivered an outstanding and inspirational trip – visits to the most extraordinary craftspeople at work in their studios, museum visits and talks from curators displaying astounding artefacts- visits the length and breadth of the country peppered with extraordinary dining experiences -sometimes from the sublime ( Michelin star restaurants) to the (not quite ridiculous but verging) - Korean fried chicken meal set in a car museum in Gyeongju ( personally I loved those fries and cheese balls!). Counterbalancing the cultural history -the blasting music from the night clubs and singing bars in Gwangju – yes I am ashamed to admit I was keen to try those microphones! The camaraderie of the tour group on bus and train journeys – joyful full of chat and laughter with a good dose of K pop education thrown in courtesy of one of the group. Truly an insight into the artists and the arts and crafts, the history and culture, and food of South Korea – a relatively young country, given its history, forging its way forwarding with modernism, whilst maintaining its long standing cultural traditions. I loved every moment of it, and the whole experience will stay with me for years to come as a highlight of life experience I am lucky enough to have had. Truly food for the soul/Seoul. Kam-sa-ham-ni-da” Ruth Young     “It was such a privilege to meet the amazing South Korean Makers during our recent visit with Yvonna and Cathy. One would never normally have the opportunity to visit their homes and studios. The meticulous planning and insight of the Makers and Museums Tours are truly remarkable” Margaret Pope     Having returned recently from an action packed trip to Korea, I am still immersed in my photos and memories. Korea is a country of exquisite detail. They of course have had centuries to master this, but having seen relics from the bottom of the Yellow Sea that have been sitting there since the 7th Century, it seems to have been a well kept secret. The trip was a master plan in organisation. We were ferried around in great comfort to see Master potters, Delicate textiles, Secret museums, Traditional houses, ate in many special eateries trying all sorts of delicacies. And to top it all we were kept amused with tales of Korea past and present, and how the country having overcome so many invasions from its neighbours, is becoming the new power house of Asia. Trip of a Lifetime. Marlene Mackibbin     Besides visiting in artisans’ studios the Makers & Museums tour had a chance to explore some of South Korea’s outstanding cultural venues. Among them was the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage located in Mokpo on the west coast of the country. Over four galleries we learned about the maritime exchanges of the past, through models of shipwrecks and various types of ceramics discovered in the seas of Korea. Among these were the remains of the Sinan shipwreck, a merchant vessel leaving China in 1323 carrying 25,000 pieces of Chinese export wares, Goryeo celadon and other items including spices consider more valuable than gold. Wrecked off the coast of Korea near the Sinan islands it was discovered by fisherman in 1975. Additionally, the conservation scientist, Young-Hwa Jung took us to the conservation facilities to see how ship remains are being conserved prior to display. Placed in large vats of water to remove the salts, the ship timbers are then impregnated with PEG – polyethylene glycol, a wax-like substance that supports the collapsed cell structure of the wood. It was an illuminating visit that certainly ignited our imaginations. Trip Co-Organiser, Cathy Giangrande

Yvonna Demczynska, Flow Gallery’s Director, was invited to visit the Cornwall studio of Adam Weismann & Studio for the launch of their new wall artwork series – ‘Claymoon’. The artworks were spread across three locations: the specially designed ‘Moon House’ viewing space in Adam Weismann’s gardens, the James Turrell Skyspace at the Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, and the Gallery at the Sculpture Gardens. Weismann generously welcomed the guests, and the events were organised by Margaret PR studio.   The ‘Moon House’ was designed as a meditative space for contemplation of the artworks, creating an intimate and calming setting within a natural environment. This innovative approach to art installation created an immersive experience that linked the artworks to the surrounding Cornish landscape. The studio explains how the series has ‘been created with the intention of being meditative, contemplative, raw and elemental – inviting the viewer to find a state of ‘soft fascination’.’ To enhance this effect, the panels are sometimes created in triptychs, with a visual rise and fall that is reminiscent of the ebb and flow of the tide, or the inhale and exhale of breath.   The artworks have been made in Cornwall from local raw materials. This passively connects the artworks to the environment and space in which they are shown. The Claymoon series are hand-formed, unfired clay wall panels, that ‘speak to the rhythms of nature and to our connection with the natural world,’ Weismann and his studio explain. Made using vernacular building techniques such as ‘rammed earth’, earth plasters – encased in brass and walnut frames, the monolithic forms feature muted tones using earth pigments.   In the James Turrell Skyspace, the Claymoon panels have been installed in an architecturally immersive “artwork” by American artist James Turrell. The skyspace integrates the changing sky into the installation, creating a sublime elemental connection between the Claymoon panels and the outside space. Claymoon pieces were on display at the Gallery at the Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, giving an additional context for how the series can be curated and viewed. The group were also hosted for dinner at the Gallery, using locally sourced produce for the meal.   Yvonna was delighted to have been invited to learn about the pieces in such inspiring contexts, that allowed her to experience the landscapes that inspired ‘Claymoon’. She is grateful to Adam Weismann, his studio and the wider team for the opportunity.

Photography project at 195 Mare Street, Hackney, featuring pieces from our collection that engage withsurface texture and the idea of layers and history . “I have in mind rugged eroded surfaces, megaliths, fossils, ancient encrusted marbles.” - Paul Philp   Built in 1697 as a grand country house, 195 Mare Street is one of Hackney's oldest buildings. Home to the Elizabeth Fry Refuge between 1860 and 1930, the property housed thousands of young women recently released from prison. In the twentieth century, it became the New Lansdowne Working Men’s Club before falling into disrepair. It is soon to be restored as a family home and community arts venue. New owners, Elizabeth and her family, generously welcomed our objects into the space before renovation.   “My work explores the redundancy and renewal of an object, connecting the past with the present. The evidence of the passing of time - frayed fabric, peeling paint, eroded architecture, rusting metals, decay and erosion, inspires me.” - Lisa Stockham   In anticipation of this photoshoot, we became preoccupied with ideas oftexture . We wanted to bring together works that complimented the rich surfaces of 195 Mare Street.   The processes of each Abigail Schama’s pieces are wheel thrown from different combinations of dark and light clay bodies, which recently has included reclaimed clays from her shared studio. The recycled clay is composed of an unpredictable combination of what her and other makers are using – stoneware, porcelain, terracotta, black or red clays – and so the complexion of each piece represents a snapshot of a period in time , in the same way as the revealing of centuries of wallpapers. Lisa Stockham’s pieces are reminiscent of cut sheets of fabric and similarly feel as if the form has been rebuilt from fragments . The process of repetition is important to silversmith Francisca Onumah, who works from sheet metal obsessively layering different mark-making techniques, folding and impressing patterns onto the surface of the metal. Similarly, Paul Philp’s stoneware surfaces are treated variously with incremental layers of oxides, wood ash glaze and slip, through multiple high-temperature firings, giving them the highly-textured, sometimes encrusted, appearance of relics. These various making processes relate to the strata of materials formed over centuries at Mare Street.   “The body and form of clay is another surface for making marks and cultivating textures.” - Abigail Schama   It was such a pleasure to hear about the history of the building from Elizabeth and their plans for its future. We look forward to seeing how it evolves. 29th September - 8th October 2023 195 Mare Street’s last exhibition before their restoration project begins, is on now.   Photography & styling by James Trundle & Isobel Napier