ABOUT

My name is Laura (she /her/they/them). I am a self taught ceramic artist, hailing from Yorkshire, but now living in Bristol. I have over 8 years experience in hand building and wheel work. I took up ceramics as an apology to my father, who is also an artist. My brothers and I destroyed much of his ceramic work whilst tearing around the house fighting with each other at a young age. I started with lessons at the folk house studio in Bristol, before taking up residency at Clayshed ceramic studio in Bristol from 2019-2022. I am enjoying incorporating the vibrancy of Bristol into my work. I am also a member of The School of the Damned alternative art school year of 2022/23, and previous east bristol contemporary night school student. All my work is hand thrown on the potters wheel and then altered by hand. I am currently working on a series of politea-cal mugs, in an attempt to make the world a better place, one mug at a time!

Artists Bio

Laura Grainger is a ceramic artist who incorporates their experiences of working in healthcare into their works which are heavily influenced by political activism, social injustices, and climate change. They are a self-confessed ‘craftivist’ and have earned the nick name of the ‘Poli-tea-cal mug maker’ due to their slogan adorned mugs and anti-establishment themes. They create anarchic artworks which encourage difficult conversations and inspire communication and explore narratives of those with power and those without. Intersectional feminism has been a recurring subject within recent works. They are a current student in the School of the Damned 22/23 and a member of Bristol Clay Collective. Her latest collection celebrates alternative firing techniques including raku, saggar and barrel fired works & many works take influence from her trips to Japan.

Values

I am passionate that my ceramic works benefit people and the planet and as such I donate a percentage of proceeds to Carbon footprint, a charity which plants trees, which makes my pottery carbon neutral. More information can be found here:

https://www.carbonfootprint.com/

I also donate 10% of all profits to Bristol and Weston Hospitals Charity.

https://www.bwhospitalscharity.org.uk/