British ceramics Raku artist
HILLARY SIMMS – NAUTILUS CERAMIC COLLECTION
The nautilus (from the Latin form of the original Ancient Greek: is a pelagic marine mollusc of the cephalopod family Nautilidae
I was fascinated to finally meet Hilary Simms, after studying her passion & development of raku ceramics. The sector she specialized in raku pottery, a technique with its origin in small-scale vessels made for the Tea Ceremony in late sixteenth-century Japan.
The traditional Raku process reflects enlightened life, as a process of creating a piece goes through the firing process as pottery derived from the earth. All four elements are employed in the pottery-making process, as water is used during the forming process to keep the clay damp, and after firing the piece cools in the air.
We pleased to invite British ceramic raku artists Hilary Simms to join our established ICAS gallery artists’ portfolio, recognizing her skills as a Raku ceramic artist.
Hilary developed her ceramic sculptures to capture the tactile qualities of British sculptors’. Henry Moore’s works inspired her during her visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and by Barbara Hepworth’s abstract forms.
“Each raku sculpture produced in her studios will evoke an emotional response from the viewer”.
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HISTORY of RAKU POTTERY
Raku is a pottery technique that has its origins in 16th century Japan. The firing process of “Raku” ware was first developed by Chojiro, founder of the Raku dynasty’s first generation, in the 16th century.
The Chojiro’s tea bowls produce using the Raku firing technique were brought to the attention of Emperor Hideyoshi. The Emperor was very impressed with the unpretentious and aesthetically pleasing tea bowls. As a result, the Emperor bestowed, in memory of Chojiro, a gold seal that bore the emblem symbolizing “Raku” on Chojiro’s son Jokei.
The word “Raku” comes from the ideograph engraved on that gold seal. “Raku” when freely and loosely translated can mean joy, enjoyment, pleasure, comfort, happiness, or contentment. The word “Raku” thereby became Chojiro’s family name/title.
BIOGRAPHY.
2011 Visiting artist at Harrogate Ladies College, demonstrating hand building and naked raku firing to GCSE students. Showed my Nautilus Collection at Open Up Sheffield, The Art Market Holmfirth, Art in Clay Hatfield House Hertfordshire, Art in the Pen Skipton, and The Huddersfield Art Gallery.
2010 Showed my Nautilus Collection of hand-built naked raku-fired ceramics at the Art Market in Holmfirth, Chatsworth Country Fair, and Simply Christmas Harrogate.
2009 An opportunity arose to take an 18-month residency at The Sculpture Lounge, where I have full-time studio space to further develop my professional practice.
2007 Showed my Volcanic Ceramics for Open Up Sheffield.
2005 Set up my first studio to develop and pursue my professional practice as a full-time ceramicist.
1996 Several years experience in an industrial ceramics workshop with our family-run business, trading throughout Europe.
1995-2009 Taught hand-built ceramics at a primary school part-time.
1990 Craft fairs in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire selling my hand-built ceramics.
1988 Barnsley Art College for a part-time ceramics course.
For all private or corporate commission by our gallery artists, please contact
Sunil Vilas call 01462 677455 or
email: Sunil@vilasart.co.uk
ICAS – VILAS FINE ART British ceramic Raku sculpture Collection From The Studio’s of HILARY SIMMS
Exhibitions
| 2014 | Royal Society of British Artists exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, from 5th- 15th March | |
| Spring exhibition at Iona House Gallery, Oxford from 8th March- end of April | ||
| BCTF 2014 Harrogate April 6th-8th | ||
| Handmade in Britain, Chelsea Old Town Hall 9th-11th May | ||
| Chelsea Flower Show from 19th-24th May | ||
| Art Market, Holmfirth 29th June | ||
| Art In Clay Hatfield House 4th-6th July | ||
| Art in Action 17th-20th July | ||
| Potfest in the Park 25th-27th July | ||
| Art in the Pens, Skipton 16th-17th August | ||
| Art Unequalled, Ely, Cambs 22nd-23rd October | ||
| Art in Clay, Farnham 15th-16th November | ||
| 2013 | BCTF 2013 April 7th-9th | |
| Potfest in the Peak 10th-12th May | ||
| Sculpt Gallery Solo Show 18th May-30th June | ||
| Craft and Design experience Henly on Thames 21st-23rd June | ||
| Art Market Holmfirth 30th June | ||
| Art in Clay Hatfield House 5th-7th July | ||
| Art in Action 18th-21st July | ||
| Potfest in the Park Penrith 26th-28th July | ||
| “Northern Sole” Solo Ceramics Showcase, Craft and Design Centre, City Art Gallery, Leeds. 1st August-26th October | ||
| Yorkshire Sculpture Park Made Exhibition September – October | ||
| Make It Up North-York 4th – 6th October | ||
| Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition at The Mall Galleries, London – 16th-27th October | ||
| Art in Clay Farnham 16th-17th November | ||
| RHS Wisley 27th November-1st December | ||
| 2012 | The Sculpt Gallery, Tiptree, Essex 26th February-25th March | |
| British Craft Trade Fair, Harrogate 15th-17th April | ||
| Sculpt Gallery “Woman past and present” in May | ||
| Artspace, Barn Galleries, Henley on the Thames, 11th-27th May | ||
| Mill Bridge Gallery, Tatham, Lancaster in June | ||
| Art Market, Holmfirth 24th June | ||
| Art in Clay 6th- 8th July | ||
| Art in Action Market, 19th – 22nd July | ||
| 2011 | Open Up Sheffield May 7th-8th | |
| The Art Market, Holmfirth 5th June | ||
| Art in Clay, Hatfield House, Hertfordshire 5th, 6th, and 7th August. | ||
| Art in the Pen, Skipton 13th and 14th August. | ||
| The Art Market, Holmfirth 13th November. | ||
| Huddersfield Art Gallery for The Art Market From December to January. | ||
| 2010 | The Art Markets in Holmfirth, Chatsworth Country Fair, and Simply Christmas in Harrogate. | |
| 2009 | The Art Markets in Holmfirth. | |
| 2008 | Open Up Sheffield and The Art Market in Holmfirth. | |
| 2007 | Cooper Gallery in Barnsley for Open Up Sheffield. | |
| 1993 | Solo exhibitions at The Piece Hall Gallery in Halifax and Huddersfield Art Gallery. | |
| 1992 | Batley Art Gallery a joint exhibition with Anthea Helliwell. |