Red

Silence

Broken

Large Delphinium Jug

Tall cone button jugs

Large denim squat cone button jug

Sonje Hibbert is an artist whose genre has been influenced by extensive living and travelling abroad. Working with issues and concerns of the contemporary world, the current aspect of her figurative ceramic work fuses a fascination of Eastern and African Cultures with more traditional W. European styles. The sensual and at times slightly erotically charged sculptures, whilst being tactile and often humorous, on a more serious note attempt to portray the clichés that surround the Western perceptions of the female form. Of both present and Victorian times. The ongoing nostalgia for Victoriana is also mirrored in the large decorative ceramic jugs that Sonje makes which present a merging of styles influenced by a love of textiles and a culturally loaded childhood in Hongkong. All work is exhibited and sold nationally in galleries and ceramic fairs throughout the UK. The clay sculpting utilises plaster moulds with press moulding or slip casting used for resolving the final work. A variety of finishes are used including porcelain slips, decal transfers, smoke firing and raku.

Since 2006 Sonje has been developing a new avenue for her sculptural work. Working from large scale paintings made in situ in Hampi- India, W. Penwith and Devon rocky coastlines there has been more focus on allowing the language of the clay material to be expressed. The seeds of this work has taken several years to germinate and in 2009 a new body of work was started to be produced. This is an exciting new direction as less focus is on designing and creating a stylised form and more on what the actual clay material can achieve through manipulation. Called “Hollow” this work will be available for exhibition from mid 2010.

Sonje has an MA in Ceramics from UWIC and gained a Post-16 PGCE in 2007. She has wide ranging educational experience which includes running clay and plaster workshops to primary school children, participating as the Artist in Resident at Kingswood School, Bath and working on a Degree Course in Contemporary Crafts in Falmouth. She is currently leader of the very successful ceramic workshop for the Saturday Arts Academy at Kingsbridge Community College, South Devon and as a part time pottery tutor for Adult Learning for Devon County Council. Along side the ceramic work also runs a strong interest in photography, drawing and painting with drawing skills having an fundamental role in in the taught sessions that are being developed. From 2009 her studio is based in Totnes, where wide ranging pottery techniques are being taught. Any enquiries for these to be made to the artist herself.

View my website http://www.werxzovart.co.uk/