Sandra Wallace

Sandra is a ceramic sculptor. She was born in Fife and works from her home studio in Markinch. Her passion for clay as a medium began in 2004 when studying life sculpture, but it was not until retirement in 2018 that she was able to spend the time needed to develop this further. In 2019, she set up her own studio where she creates figurative sculptures, and hand-built objects, and vessels. She uses experimental firing techniques including smoke firing and obvara, which give her work a natural and organic aesthetic quality.

“My work with clay is deeply connected to my experiences in childhood, from art activities and fun in the kitchen with my mother to exploring nature, going on woodland adventures, and building campfires with my father. The organic shapes, forms, and textures I create are designed to retain a connection with the natural movement and tactile nature of the clay, encouraging touch and providing a sensory element to each piece. I also further connect my work to the clay’s origins and the colours in nature through experimentation with carefully selected natural materials and exposure to heat and flame, allowing smoke, minerals, and organic elements to penetrate the clay body and create unique earthy tones, colours and patterns. I think of the way I work as a form of alchemy, bringing unending and often magical surprises and always ensuring no two pieces are ever the same.”