Chloë Dowds

MEET THE MAKER

I completed my BA (Hons.) in Fine Art Ceramics in 2008. After this I went on to do an MA in History of Art & Architecture. Having spent a year on my MA without working with clay, I felt an overpowering need to get back to it. This was when I applied for the DCCoI’s Pottery Skills course in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. There I learned to throw. I gained many skills in the art of firing, glaze mixing, developing form and the important skill of training my eye. I work almost exclusively with porcelain. The beauty, mystery and history of the material itself inspires me. It’s whiteness and softness is so beautiful at every stage of the making process. This whiteness, in turn, lends itself so well to being coloured with ceramic pigments. I am very interested in colour and have drawn huge inspiration from the colour experiments of Josef Albers.

I have completed two international artist residencies, one in Berlin and one in Hungary. I have experience in collaborating on designs with companies like Villeroy & Boch as well as individual clients through my ceramics studio.

My skills include: Pottery, hand-building, video editing (amateur), photography (amateur)

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PART OF iATELIER PROGRAMME?

I have chosen to attend the iAtelier programme because I find the idea of the cross-pollination of skills to be a place where really interesting things can happen. This can be especially exciting when digital processes meet traditional crafts.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE?

My craft is especially traditional and skills focused. I am eager to learn more about digital techniques, how they might work in collaboration with my design process and how masters of this craft think differently (or perhaps similarly) to myself. I am open to learning new things, collaborating and meeting professionals outside of my circle.