Antonia Salmon |
Antonia Salmon was born in London in 1959 and educated in Sheffield before studying pottery at Harrow. She considers she has been influenced by Elizabeth Fritsch who showed that “simple techniques could produce magnificent work”, and by Siddig El’nigoumi who introduced her to low-fired incised burnished work. She is fascinated by geometry in form and pattern, intrigued with the architecture and arts of the Islamic tradition, and inspired by ancient stone and flint artefacts in the Museum of Mankind and elsewhere.
Antonia uses white, tight-bodied stoneware clay, which allows her to carve and incise with precision. Large pieces are made from “T” material and covered with a slip. Forming techniques include throwing and altering, slabbing and carving. After construction the pieces are left to dry naturally and fired to around 1100°C. The smoke firing process is often repeated and sometimes undertaken three or four times.
Antonia’s work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the country and on the Continent. She is a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association and a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen.