Ursula Waechter
Ursula Waechter is a ceramic artist who specialises in creating functional and decorative tin-glazed earthenware. Her body of work includes a diverse range of pottery forms, with a focus on wheel-thrown pieces complemented by shapes produced through press-moulding techniques.
Waechter utilizes a red clay foundation, which she meticulously covers with a white tin glaze. Her designs are then skilfully brush-painted using a combination of coloured oxides and stains, resulting in captivating patterns and motifs.
In an era dominated by digital screens and automated processes, Waechter finds solace and inspiration in the manual craftsmanship and skills required for tin-glazed earthenware pottery. She places great emphasis on producing items that are not only visually satisfying but also tactile and functional. The artist meticulously controls every aspect of the making, painting, and firing processes, considering the finish of the pot's underlying surface and foot to be just as important as the design's placement, glaze quality, and richness of fired oxides.
Exploring the interplay between form and painting, Waechter's artistic approach involves a symbiotic relationship between these elements. Each informs and influences the other, allowing her work to evolve organically. She considers each finished piece as a point of reference for her ongoing artistic journey.
Waechter draws significant inspiration from the rich traditions of Persian, Spanish, and Chinese ceramics, particularly admiring the fluency and skill displayed in brushwork.
Since 2017, Ursula Waechter has co-initiated a shared studio space at Folly Farm Studios in Hampshire, collaborating with three fine artists. Her involvement spans diverse creative activities, including design, production, sales, teaching, mentoring, and tin-glaze consultancy. Notably, she collaborated on a tin-glazed tulipiere sculpture for the prestigious KochxBos Gallery Exhibition in Amsterdam (2019). Waechter is an associate member of the Craft Potters Association and a valued member of the Hampshire and Berkshire Guild of Craftsmen.
Ursula Waechter's artistic talent has garnered recognition in notable publications. Her work featured prominently in Tony Booth's film "Aldermaston Pottery – The Last Lustre and Glaze Firings," Jane White's book "Alan Caiger-Smith and the legacy of Aldermaston Pottery" (Ashmolean Museum, 2018), and Country Living Magazine (June 2020), reflecting her skill and impact in the artistic landscape.