Figurative Ceramics from Past to Present by Gillian Brett & Vivien Phelan
June 07, 2025
Over half of our 3D artists in Skylark galleries create 3-dimensional figurative ceramics, each with their own approach. What brings each piece alive is its body language, movement, and attitude.
Historically clay figures may have been produced for use in initiation ceremonies and as fertility symbols. The image shows the oldest surviving figurine, known as Venus of Willendorf, from around 35,000 years ago. Featuring a lozenge shape, pointed head, large abdomen and buttocks, known as steatopygia and without arms, Venus figurines imply the existence of a matriarchal culture worshipping women as goddesses and an idealised way of looking at fertility. The requirement in those times was for women to be strong and fertile.
Over time figurative art moved into realism, through observation, as seen in classical sculptures around 480 BC. The Greeks called this “mimesis”, meaning true representation.
Today’s ceramic figurative art - a few artists to consider:
Of course figurative images can also be depicted on vessels such as the work created byGrayson Perrywho encouraged the public to appreciate ceramic art and figurative decoration. While AmericanChristopher David White’ssurreal clay sculptures may look what they are not (trompe -l’oeil). His creations are hyper-realistic sculpture that explores the relationship between man and nature.
Hong Kong artist Johnson Tsang’ssurreal and sinister sculptures play with portraiture to reinterpret reality. Some of his figurative sculptures appear to be made of unconventional materials, like liquid frozen in time.
InSkylark galleriesour four figurative ceramic artists, each with our own ideas, are:
Gillian Brett, Vivien Phelan, Ruty Benjamini and Richard Dickson.
Gillian Brett
“I work from life, sculpting real people in the space with me. I work fast, sketching in clay, without measurement. The textured results feel more lively and engaging than an exact reproduction.”
On the rocks
Unique stoneware ceramic finished with oxides.
23 x 7 x 8cms
£385
Vivien Phelan
“I start using the potter's wheel and then alter the shape to suit the vision. I like quirkiness.”
Busy as a bee
10 x 11 x30 cm
Ceramic £295.00
Ruty Benjamini
“The inspiration for my figurines comes from life drawing. I am interested in the female body as a natural organic form. Not adhering to conventional notions of beauty, or to specific detail, my figurines celebrate femininity, clay and movement.”
On The Edge
White clay coloured with red iron oxide wash, she is perching on the edge of a painted wooden cube.
Size H22x14x9cm
Price £300
Richard Dickson
“My work tends to be based around the human form but is often altered and abstracted. I use stoneware and porcelain clay generally and experiment with a variety of glazes and finishes.”
