Masterclass with Angela Mellor

My love of ceramics began while I was teaching art and pottery to A-level standard in the early 1970s – I taught for over 27 years. I gained a Teaching Diploma with Distinction in Art and Design at Manchester University, then in 1984 I undertook an Advanced Certification in Art Education, specialising in Ceramics at the University of East Anglia under the direction of the ceramist, author and teacher Peter Lane.

Sasha Wardell introduced me to bone china in 1991 – I fell in love with this seductive medium and have worked with it ever since.

It had always been a dream of mine to run my own gallery, so after ten years of living in Australia and the loss of my husband, I returned to England and bought a gallery and studio in Ely, Cambridgeshire, which has allowed me to focus on developing a new series of work called Coastal Light.

My work explores the translucency of bone china paperclay and its potential for the transmission of light. I am particularly interested in the effects of light on the landscape, especially in coastal areas where a variety of organic contours, tonal contrasts and patterns provide a continuing source of inspiration.

I am part of the advisory team for Particle & Wave: Paperclay Illuminated, an international paperclay exhibition touring the USA. The hope is that this will greatly increase the understanding and appreciation of paperclay and encourage more ceramists to explore this exciting medium.