Painted fired clay - Small size
Painted fired clay - medium size
Biography
British artist Patricia Volk presents highly original abstract sculptures which are the result of a combination of form and colour, guided by her intuition. The juxtaposition of contrasts, balances and harmonies of the contemporary sculptor‘s colourful ceramic sculptures reflect, in her mind, the very relationships between human beings.
The dream of being an artist and the beginnings of figuration
Patricia Volk currently lives and works near Trowbridge in the county of Wiltshire, England. Hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland, she wanted to be an artist since she was a child. She suffered from dyslexia as a youngster and had difficulty expressing herself in words, but was instead obsessed with drawing, from which she drew her confidence. However, a career as an artist was something not considered possible during her schooling and her desire remained merely a dream for many years.
Settled in England, Patricia was employed in various positions and ended up working in an advertising agency. One night, after not drawing or painting for fifteen years, she started to draw again. Looking to make a life change, she was accepted to Middlesex University where she studied three-dimensional drawing, and completed her training with a ceramic course at Bath Spa University. Once she had graduated and finally embarked upon the artistic career she so aspired to, the artist was able to start experimenting freely with her favourite material, clay, to create colourful contemporary sculptures.
At the beginning her work was figurative, consisting of symbolic and asexual heads with several reference points and inspirations, both ancient and modern, such as Catholic and art history icons, the Celtic sculptural tradition and the work of Giacometti and Modigliani. Over the years, however, Patricia began to feel more and more constrained by figuration and the representational dimension that imposed meaning on her sculptures. She tells the story of her passage to abstraction: “I decided to completely simplify the forms down to see if it was still “me”. I found that it was, and this opened an exciting way forward.”
Colourful painted ceramic sculptures and the search for the perfect line
Patricia’s abstract work is born from the unique combination of two elements, namely form and colour. Regarding the first, the artist aims to find a simple, pleasant, and dynamic form; the simplicity of the line is for her “a curve that might be so right that it takes your breath away, something that’s almost like a musical note in the air”. She begins her creative process by cutting different pieces of clay, in search of that perfect line and without any preconceived idea of the final piece. She then fires and assembles them, with glue or by drilling them on a structure. Patricia finds the construction of the piece very fascinating – her father was a builder – and is one of the reasons why clay has become her preferred material.
Once constructed, the sculptures are coloured with acrylic paint, and finished with a matt lacquer. Patricia’s work thus departs considerably from the British tradition, in which ceramic sculptures were generally glazed, and is rather inspired by the American tradition of painted ‘painted fired clay’, a term used by the sculptor Ken Price. Patricia sees the colours as emphasising the form, they are capable of making the piece light, almost floating, contrasting with the weight of the clay. The artist spends a considerable amount of time choosing colours; she combines them in a visual and very subjective way, trusting her intuition and drawing inspiration from the combinations she sees in everyday life.
Patricia Volk’s colourful sculptures reflect her personality, but each is an interesting new challenge for her in a quest for constant renewal. The interpretation is left free and open, although the juxtaposition of their simple yet powerful shapes and vibrant colours suggests different ideas to the viewers, such as tranquillity, conflict or even the sense of movement.
Recognition of the art world
Since 2008, Patricia Volk has exhibited her colourful sculptures in galleries and museums in the United Kingdom. Her artworks feature in private collections, such as that of the writer Anthony Horowitz and that of the politician Lord Carrington, as well as public collections, such as the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and in 2020 it was included in the book “50 Women Sculptors”, alongside very famous artists like Camille Claudel, Barbara Hepworth, Niki de Saint Phalle and Louise Bourgeois. The artist is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors (FRSS), and an Academician of the Royal West of England Academy (RWA).
CV
Education
- 1985-87 : Middlesex Polytechnic Foundation Course & Three-Dimensional Design
- 1987-89 : Bath College of Higher Education (Bath Spa University) (BA Ceramics)
Solo exhibitions
- 2022 : “Cornucopia – Patricia Volk”, One Canada Square, London
- 2021 : “Construction”, Pangolin London, UK
- 2020 : Henry Saywell, London
- 2019 & 2017 : Arundel Contemporary, Arundel
- 2018 : Kobi & Teal, Frome
- 2018 : Oink Gallery, Swindon
- 2017 : Chapel Arts, Cheltenham
- 2015 : William Benington Gallery Sculptural at Coombe Trenchard
- 2015 : Chapel Lane Gallery, Tunbridge Wells
- 2014 : The Art Room, Topsham, Devon
- 2014 : New Craftsman Gallery, St. Ives
- 1997 : Fine Arts, Bath
- 1997 : Bohun Gallery, Henley-on-Thames
- 1996 : The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
Group exhibitions
- 2024 : “Fresh Air Sculpture”, The Old Rectory, Quenington (UK)
- 2024 : “Casting Shadows”, ACEarts, Somerton (UK)
- 2024 : “Dreaming in Fire”, Royal West of England, Bristol (UK)
- 2023: “170 Annual Open Exhibition”, collective show, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol (UK)
- 2023 : “The elements of sculpture”, Winchester Cathedral, Winchester (UK)
- 2022 : “No Woman Is An Island”, The Vanner Gallery, London, UK
- 2022 : “Together We Rise”, Royal Society of Sculptors, Chichester Cathedral, UK
- 2022 : “Ceramic Windows : Curves and form”, Pangolin London, UK
- 2021 : “Craving color”, Pangolin London, UK
- 2020 & 2018: RWA Open, Bristol
- Bath Schools of Art & Design, Bath Spa University, Alumni Show, Locksbrook Campus, Bath
- Royal West of England Academy, (shortlisted Academician Candidates Show), Bristol
- RWA Sculpture Open Exhibition, Bristol
- Blackwater Gallery, Cardiff
- Creative Wiltshire, A Celebration of Art, Salisbury Museum, Salisbury
- Sheridan Russell Gallery, Various Art Fairs, London
- 2020, 2019 & 2018: Beukenhof Pheonix, Belgium
- 2020, 2019 & 2018: The Garden Gallery, Hampshire
- 2020, 2019 & 2018: Hannah Peschar Gallery, Surrey
- 2020, 2019 & 2018: Arundel Contemporary, Arundel, Sussex
- 2018 : Affordable Art Fair Brussels, Hampstead & Battersea
- 2018 : VJB Arts in the Atrium of 10 Gresham Street, London
- 2018 : Urchfont Manor, Wiltshire, ‘Art in the Garden’ organised by The Friends of the Garden
- 2017 – 2011: Beukenhof Pheonix, Belgium (every year)
- 2017 – 2005: The Garden Gallery, Hampshire (every year)
- 2017 – 1990: Hannah Peschar Gallery, Surrey (every year)
- 2017: Arundel Contemporary, Arundel, Sussex
- Cavaliero Finn, Dulwich & Somerset & Royal Society of Sculptors, London
- The London Group Open, The Cello Factory, London
- ‘From Where I’m Standing’, Swindon Museum &Art Gallery
- ‘Discerning Eye Winners’ Exhibition, Temple Church, London
- 2016 & 2012: Doddington Hall & Gardens, Lincoln
- 2012 & 2016 : Tarpey Gallery, Derby
- 2014 & 2016 : Lemon Street Gallery, Withiel, Truro
- 2012, 2013 & 2015 : William Benington Gallery Sculptural at Coombe Trenchard
- The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle: ‘Gravity’ (Special Exhibition)
- Denise Yapp Contemporary Art, Monmouth
- Bohun Gallery, Henley on Thames (Regular exhibitor)
- 2013 & 2011: Ceramic Art London
- 2017, 2013, 2011 & 2009: Quenington Sculpture Trust Fresh Air
- 2016, 2010, 2009, 2008 & 2007: RWA Open, Bristol
- Sculpt Gallery, Essex
- Rococo Gardens, Painswick (Commissioned Artist)
- Shirley Crowther Fine Art
- View Art Gallery, Bristol
- 2008 & 2006: Chichester Cathedral, Sculpture in Paradise
- The Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park, N.Yorkshire
- 18@108 Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- The Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
- ING Discerning Eye* (*Specially Selected Artist)
- Eye to Eye, Cork Street, London
- The Scottish Gallery
Collections
- Lord Carrington, Sir John Mortimer, Damon de Laszlo, Simon Relph CBE, Lady Osborne, Robert Race, Priory Hotel, Bath, British Consul, Ivory Coast, Anthony Horowitz, Mary Portas, Swindon Museum & Art Gallery
Awards & Residencies
- 2023 : Evolver Prize, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol (UK)
- 2007 : ING “Discerning Eye” Exhibition, Mall Gallery, London – Regional Winner
- Shortlisted : ‘Brian Mercer Bronze Casting Residency’ Italy by the Royal British Society of Sculptors
Commissions
- 2019 : Commissioned to create a new on-screen ident for ITV as part of the prestigious ‘ITV Creates’ project
- 1999: Work selected as Southern Arts Prize by Beckett biographer James Knowlson (winner of Southern Arts Literary Award 1999, for his book, Damned to Fame: A Life of Samuel Beckett.)
- 1998: Audience and Muse, Brewhouse Art Centre, Taunton
- 1997: The Water Deities, ArtSway, Sway, Hampshire (garden designer: Cleve West)
Publications
- 50 Women Sculptors (Aurora Metro Publications)
- Ceramic Review (feature Inspiration: Sculpture Vultures- Elaine Bolt – Issue 306)
- MADE IN BED magazine an independently run publication produced by the students of Sotheby’s Institute of Art
- The FLUX Feview (Feature Article – Edition 3)
- Artist Talk Magazine (feature article – issue 3)
- Art Maze Mag (feature article – issue 1)
- Ceramic Review (feature article – issue 282)
- The New Age of Ceramics by Hannah Stouffer (Gingko Press Inc.)
- Contemporary Ceramics International Perspective by Emmanuel Cooper (Thames & Hudson)
- Ceramics for Garden and Landscapes ed. Karin Hessenberg (A&C Black, London, 2000)
- Creative Ideas for Small Gardens by Anthony Paul (HarperCollins)
- Classic Garden Features by David Stuart (Conran Octopus)
- The Garden Sanctuary by Keith Mitchell (Hamlyn)
- The Sculptor’s Bible by John Plowman (KP Books)
- The Sculpting Techniques Bible ed. Claire Waite Brown (Chartswell Books Inc)
- Ceramic Design Course by Anthony Quinn (Barron’s)