Deirdre Burnett, UK

Frilly petal pot 10 cm high Thrown porcelain with six irregular lobes or petals, 1980
Frilly petal pot 10 cm high Thrown porcelain with six irregular lobes or petals, 1980

Deirdre Burnett was born in Simla, India in 1939 and came to England in 1947. Deidre Burnett – Frilly petal pot She studied sculpture at St. Martins School of Art and then took a BA in ceramics at Camberwell School of Art. Since the 1970s she has been known for her individual pieces in stoneware and porcelain for which she creates her own mixture for the clay body. Her work is thrown and pinched, or pinched alone. Her designs are reminiscent of fossils, fungi or marine forms as can be seen in this piece which conveys visually a strong sense of how it would feel to hold and touch. The soft, rounded porcelain body, with its subtle colouring, contrasts with the more brittle feel of the undulating frill.