Claire Palfreyman (b. 1967) is a London-based artist whose practice focuses on things and beings in transition; those that are neither one thing nor another, but rather that vulnerable state between. Drawing on historical references, both personal and cultural, she works mainly with clay and the figure, using found objects combined with one-off handmade pieces to attract or unsettle the viewer; from the 'Hegemon and the Epheboi' and 'Peer' series of one-off figurines she created based on attitudes to the male youth, to the found and altered ‘Social Situations’ series of works that re-interpret the typically ‘twee’ figurines. Her most recent work includes life-sized rabbit-boys that form her ongoing ‘Short Stories’. The found and discarded objects that she uses form intimate symbols and signifiers of who we are; they are the artefacts of our personal histories. Palfreyman appropriates and alters them to create often darkly humorous works that invite personal narratives.

She has exhibited widely since her graduation in 2007, including the 5th World Ceramic Biennale in Korea in 2009, where she received a prize. Her work is in private collections in the UK, Denmark, France and America.

She has recently completed a PGCE in Art & Design at the Institute of Education in London and has worked in several London colleges and secondary schools and was selected as an arts mentor for the Koestler Prison Trust’s winner of the Chris Bramble Platinum Ceramics Scholarship 2011.

She has recently launched We Make Here, which came about with a realisation that there were many creatively unfulfilled adults around! She holds relaxed and enjoyable workshops for adults to get to grips with their creative side, and enjoy some homemade food at the same time. Workshops offered include printmaking, ceramics and papercutting techniques.

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contact |

details |

  • Born in Corbridge, Newcastle 1967
  • Lives and works in London
  • Married, with three teenage sons and now a dog, Charlie.

selected group exhibitions |

  • 2010 - Precious, Brighton & Hove Museum (then touring UK for 2 years)
  • 2009 - Salon09, Matt Roberts Arts, London
  • 2009 - Milestone, Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich & St Andrew's Crypt, Chancery Lane, London
  • 2009 - Tales From the Electric Forest, St Pancras Crypt, London
  • 2009 - 5th International Ceramic Biennale, Korea
  • 2009 - Identity, Black Swan Arts, Frome
  • 2008 - Winter’s Tale, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester
  • 2008 - Ealing Open, PM Gallery, London
  • 2008 - Setting Out, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester
  • 2008 - Setting Out, Contemporary Ceramics,London
  • 2007 - At Home With Art 2, London
  • 2006 - Step Even Closer, London Gallery West

  • 2005 - Step Closer, London Gallery West

awards & commissions |

  • Honourable Mention, 5th International Ceramic Biennale, Korea, 2009
  • Commissioned to design the Wincott Foundation Broadcaster of the Year Award for the BBC’s The Money Programme, 2008
  • University of Westminster Prize 2007
  • Private commissions

academic qualifications |

  • 2009-2010 - PGCE (14-19) Artist Teacher, Institute of Education, London
  • 2004-2007 - BA Hons Ceramics (First Class), University of Westminster, London
  • 1986-1989 - SHND Business Studies, French and Spanish, Napier University, Edinburgh

work experience |

  • Teaching:
  • January - May 2010 - Placement as associate lecturer on Foundation Course, Chelsea College of Art
  • October - January 2010 - Placement as lecturer on Access Foundation Course, Working Men's College, Camden, London
  • March 2008 - Held glaze 'surgeries' with 1st year undergraduates on the BA Hons Ceramics course at the University of Westminster, Harrow Campus, advising them on decorative surfaces suitable for their work and how to achieve them.
  • October 2007 - Workshop and exhibition for primary school children at the Kingsgate Workshops Trust based on the Mexican Day of the Dead.
  • February - April 2007 - Three-month placement assisting contemporary art curator and writer, James Putnam and artist James P Graham.
  • February - March 2006 - Placement with Twyford CofE School, west London.
  • March 2007 - Ambassador for University of Westminster, Harrow campus. Organised a two-day workshop for the Alperton Community School at the London West Gallery in connection with Think Tank, A European Initiative for the Applied Arts. This included development of a questionnaire around the work to gain student feedback and understanding of the works shown.
  • October - June 2008 - Glaze archivist, University of Westminster, Harrow Campus – created complete glaze reference library, including low and high temperature glaze tests and recipes, for the Ceramics department.
  • Previous work history:
  • 2004 – 2005 - Freelance copy editor for publishers Thames & Hudson Ltd, copy writing/editing.
  • 2002 - 2004 - Web editor for BBC Worldwide Ltd.
  • 1994 - 2002 - Feature writer/sub editor for magazines including The Big Issue Scotland, Elle Decoration, Parents and Right Start magazines.
  • 1990 - 1991 - Marketing Assistant for salmon exporters based in Scotland, responsible for French supermarket client base.
  • 1989 - 1990 - English Language Assistant at Lycée Jean Renoir, Paris.