Nicola Cornford Ceramics
I have worked with clay since childhood, but in recent years my practice has become focused and deliberate. Porcelain is now the material through which I test ideas, explore structure, and investigate how form behaves in space.
Working primarily with porcelain paper clay, which I make in my home studio, I build repeated, hand-formed elements that are arranged in fields, clusters, or installations. The flexibility of paper clay allows me to construct fine, delicate structures while pushing porcelain beyond its conventional limits.
Repetition is central to the work. Individual forms may appear modest in isolation, but through accumulation they generate rhythm, tension, and spatial complexity. As elements extend at varying heights and depths, light and shadow become active components — shifting as the viewer moves and completing the composition beyond the physical material.
While early works were driven more strongly by colour and surface, my practice has gradually moved toward restraint. Layered glazes are used to create subtle tonal variation, and 22K gold is applied sparingly to emphasise edges, transitions, and moments of value. Increasingly, I am interested in shadow as a material in its own right — something that expands the work into architectural space.
Though rooted in botanical and natural observation, the work now moves beyond representation toward abstraction and installation. I am particularly interested in how fragile, repeated forms can occupy space collectively — creating quiet presence, spatial rhythm, and a sense of contained movement.
Nicola Cornford began working with clay at a young age, winning her school’s ceramic prize at the age of 12 and later studying ceramics at O level, where she learned foundational ceramic skills. After a long break from the medium, she returned to clay while living in Virginia Beach, USA, where she joined a community of ceramic artists at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). During this time, she made work more informally, enjoying the social and practical aspects of making and creating pieces for her home.
In December 2020, Nicola set up a home studio, purchased her own kiln, and began to work more independently. An online workshop on porcelain paper clay marked a turning point in her practice, leading to a more focused and experimental approach to making. Since then, her work has become increasingly intentional, with an emphasis on material exploration, repetition, and form.
Nicola began submitting work to local and national juried exhibitions in 2022. She has received several awards, including Best in Show for Beneath the Waves (2022) and Best in Show for Frost Flower (2025).
