Paula Downing

Paula Downing is a British ceramic artist based in Cornwall whose work is inspired by the land, sea, geology, archaeology and ancient history of the region. She works primarily with hand‑built forms, drawing on direct engagement with the natural environment to inform her ideas and surfaces. Downing’s ceramics often reference textures and shapes found in moorland, coastal rock and mining landscapes, and she works without a potter’s wheel, moulds, or formers, using traditional hand‑building techniques to create pieces with strong presence and texture.

Her work has been exhibited widely in Cornwall and beyond, including at Penwith Gallery in St Ives, and she is a member of the Craft Potters Association, the Penwith Society of Arts, the Cornwall Crafts Association and the Penwith Gallery.

“My work has changed and developed over time but has always been linked in some way to Cornwall’s land, sea, archeology, ancient history, geology and mining history.

I tend to work in series, producing individual pieces which have developed from the same idea. Each piece is unique and has an identity and presence. They are intended to make a bold statement whether standing alone or in small groups.

Working with different clay bodies has always been a fascination and a contributory factor in exploring natural colour and surface texture.

I rarely use glaze.

Fairly recent works have challenged the idea of balance, pushing the boundaries of slab‑built forms to their limits of stability. Forms and surfaces have been simplified and a minimal colour palette preferred to emphasize the strength and power of the form.”