Sarah Horlock

Sarah Horlock is a ceramicist based in Norwich, Norfolk. She produces predominantly wheel thrown and hand decorated functional and art pottery.

The decoration of her ceramics is heavily influenced by her background as an archaeologist and aerial photograph interpreter.  The layering and distinctive shapes and patterns of the ancient landscapes of East Anglia influence her designs, with stylised trackways and enclosures traversing the the surface of the pot. In other pieces, most notably the stoneware and raku pieces, these motifs have been reduced down to a more minimalist linear design. The patterns and palettes are also inspired by the art and design of the early to mid twentieth century. Raku firing forms a significant part of her ceramic work. This process, originating in Japan, involves taking the pots out of the kiln at 1000c, causing the glazes to crack. They are then placed in sawdust or shredded paper, which ignites and then smokes,  staining the exposed clay and cracks in the glaze  a wonderful matt black.