Abigail Schama

London-based ceramicist Abigail Schama studied Fine Art at Camberwell and Bristol, before taking an MA in Art Theory at Chelsea. Abigail pursued ceramics following a career in painting, drawn to the tactile and functional nature of the craft, and learnt the trade under the tutelage of Loewe Craft Prize nominee Akiko Hirai. Her recent work for The New Craftsmen is inspired by Greek mythology, paying homage to tradition while adhering to a more contemporary aesthetic.

Maker's Story

London-based ceramicist Abigail Schama studied Fine Art at Camberwell and Bristol, before taking an MA in Art Theory at Chelsea. Abigail pursued ceramics following a career in painting, drawn to the tactile and functional nature of the craft, and learnt the trade under the tutelage of Loewe Craft Prize finalist Akiko Hirai. Her recent work for The New Craftsmen is inspired by Greek mythology, paying homage to tradition while adhering to a more contemporary aesthetic.

Maker's Quote

Artists as varied as Rembrandt and Twombly continue to inform me in illuminating and animating the surface of a piece. I am increasingly drawn to the beauty of functionality, and of the relationship of a given piece to the long history of these forms.

Abigail SchamaCeramicist

The Process

Each vessel is wheel-thrown and altered using different combinations of dark and light stoneware. Abigail experiments with a palette of dolomite and transparent glazes, before each piece is lightly gilded with gold lustre.