Jun 2, 20244 min read

Biting Back, an exhibition by Susan Halls at Ruthin Craft Centre

On Saturday June 1st, Madelene, Ruth and I went down to Ruthin to see Susan Halls' Exhibition at Ruthin Craft Centre. It was aptly named Biting Back, a title that convey's the fierce instincts of (wild) animals; mans desimation of nature, and the animals clinging on to survival.

The first hall you came to was long and cleverly lined with cats. Some of the cats I really liked, less because of their form, but because of their glazes. I particulary liked "Surprise Cat" and "Minty".

Surprise Cat

Minty, the colour is not good on this photo, but she is actually a pale green

The Platter above I think is really interesting. Because of the cat image and decoration with splashes of slip or oxide. I love these chunky platters, heavily grogged. These are the vessels I am making for my tests, though I have been experimenting with torn edges.

At first I thought Susan had used a negative paper cut for the cat, but on closer examination, I think the surroundings have been carved away almost, extreme definition of sgraffito? I love the uneven shape of the vessels and the rounded rolled back edges work well too.

Although I wasnt keen on every cat, but the overall looks the cats gave was great (eyes!)

The Cat Gallery suddenly started working for me with the playfulness of the cats captured in a quiet moment on the bench.

We agreed we loved the way Susan used mixed media in her drawings. Even drawing with cobalt oxide I think! Drawing is fundamental to all Susan's work, and she draws from real life, from museums and zoos. I think she once kept a rabbit in a cage under her desk at the Royal College when she was studying there!

This cat made me jump as I walked round the corner into the next room. I like the text underneath "Domesticated Animal"!

Susan's Drawings

I will be visiting a zoo or park where I can draw monkeys. So far I have drawn a Spider Monkey.

I have also drawn a lot of my landlady's dog. I liked Susan's use of watercolour in her drawings. This is something I must try again - good for creating tone. Hoping I can reproduce this with different strengths of oxides, drawing on top of a glaze, before firing eg tin glaze, or using Titanium White or Parian White. This is known as inglaze painting. I have prepared some platters from grogged earthernware ( Scarva ES60) which I plan to use this technique with Tin Glaze.

There was also a 'negative' watercolour of running dogs - white watercolour over black. Susan is exploring all possibilities in her drawings and paintings.

The sheep drawings were nice, though I didn't like the constructed lambs.

The other two species which Susan draws and sculpts are chickens and pigs.

I prefer the sculptures of the cats to the pigs, but can see the raw 'animal survival' instinct in them. A few of them have nails for teeth, another pointer to the exhibition title, Biting Back.

I do love the shallow platters, for their shape and use of 'chunky' grogged clay in combination with a shiny glaze. The grog in the clay breaks up the light landing on it - love this effect.

I think the above platter might have been made using a finger on white slip, then honey glazed. I have tried this on a small platter of my horse Punch. Good effect on earthenware clay with honey glaze.

This pig is black slip and sgraffito. Not such a heavily coloured honey glaze.

I really liked this small pig platter, for the simplicity of the drawing and the simple shape and construction of the platter and the complementary white glaze. I think this is inglaze painting.

Very obviously copper oxide I think, ( though could be chrome) . I like the finishing off of the platter with (copper) oxide round the rim! I will experiment with this.

Sgraffito carving pig.

There was a pig army with figures riding them - small black raku pigs with riders. Visually the shadows they cast were interesting and reminded me of my friend, Christine Hurford's work with installations of armys of insects.

I think this signifies mans harnessing of animals and then driving them to disaster, either ecologically or to the slaughterhouse. A bit dark. See catalogue.

I did like the 'Dawn Chorus'. These were bird plaques made up of sprigs ( clay additions to a form). There had obviously been oxides washed or brushed in and washed off. Very effective and cheerful. I think these were the most cheerful pieces of Susan's work.

The chickens were very realistic and had very interesting textures. The raku chicken ( below) was my favorite one.

These chicks are great, as small chickens! I liked the lustre effect glaze and the spikey bottom. Though I dont think chickens are hard as nails, but I am told cockrels can be quite aggressive! With these chickens the possibility of using gold lustre on some of my platter drawings came into my head. Maybe later on in my project journey.

My favorite chick.

Finally pigs....

Although at first these wernt my favorite, they grew on me. Susan is capturing the animal nature of her subjects and she has done this very well. They are not sweet like the cats I have drawn and painted in the past, though both hers (and mine hopefully) do have attitude.

Great texture variation here.... gritty pigs! Adding grit to a pig adds a new dimension. Almost chocolate like, diluting the enevitable meat associations.