About Carys

Carys draws inspiration from nature, folklore and rituals. Her designs vary from practical, functional everyday art to statement pieces. Carys originally trained as a print maker and this often shows through in the detail of the surface decoration. You will find raw clay surfaces contrasting with a shiny, smooth glaze finish or highly decorated surfaces alongside negative space. The inspiration behind many of her pieces stem from growing up in a remote Cumbrian hamlet, where relics, stories and folklore were commonplace.

Carys grew up in a very creative environment. Her mother is an artist and the village of Banks where she grew up has been home to a number of prominent artists over the years, most notable Ben Nicholson and his wife Winfred Nicholson, and was home to the LYC Museum and Art Gallery.

Li Yuan-chia outside the LYC Museum and Art Gallery

Li Yuan-chia bought the farm buildings from his friend and neighbour, the artist Winifred Nicholson and transformed them into the LYC Museum. At its peak, it hosted four new exhibitions a month; each accompanied by a catalogue that he designed and printed. Some of the artists shown ranged from local artists (Andy Christian, Susie Honour) to totemic national figures (Paul Nash, Barbara Hepworth) and contemporary artists, now of international renown (Lygia Clark, Andy Goldsworthy), but then barely known in Britain. Apart from galleries, LYC Museum also had a children’s art room, library, performance space, printing press, communal kitchen and garden. It was an open space for the multiple possibilities of art.

During her childhood years Carys spent many happy days in the children's room, playing in the gardens, exploring the exhibition spaces and accessing Li's never ending supply of paper! 

Carys completed her Art degree BA(Hons) studying in the UK and USA. She has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in the UK, USA and Australia and has taught art classes in the UK and Australia. Her arts practice continues to develop as she creates work that is stocked in boutiques across Australia and America as well as original art pieces. As a keen learner the ceramics world captures and holds her imagination with its many possibilities of making techniques, glazes to be created and surface decoration possibilities. 

Farmers Weekly Art Competition - Farms of the Future. 1980 (I think!)

We are committed to making beautiful handmade ceramic pieces that are all unique and made with love. We believe that the things you surround yourself with should bring you joy and have worth. They should have meaning and soul, and a story to tell.

We encourage you to join us and stand against the mass produced throw away mindset, to reduce your personal waste and choose things that are responsibly produced and hold meaning to you.

 

Carys on the potters wheel in the early 1980's

Exhibition History

  • ‘Real Art’ Journal. Limited Edition book of prints. Sold in Galleries and Tate, London. 1991 No 1, 1994 Vol.2 No.5, 1995 Vol.2 No.7, 2000 Vol. 3 No. 3.

  • Craftsmen at the Priory, Lanercost, Cumbria. Annual group exhibition 1991-1999

  • Potsdam Art Show, New York State Uni. 1994

  • University Art Degree Show, York. 1996

  • Affordable Art Fair, London. 1997

  • Wolfson College, Oxford University. Solo Exhibition. 1997

  • Linacre College, Oxford University. Solo Exhibition. 1998

  • Hanover Gallery, Liverpool. Group exhibition. 1999

  • The Little Things Art Prize. Saint Cloche Gallery, Woollahra 2018

  • Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence. Brisbane Institute of Art 2018

  • Work in private collections in UK, America, Canada and Australia.

Carys's Art degree exhibition

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