Mary Sewell

Mary has been a practising artist for over 25 years, has worked in many educational contexts, and has travelled wide and far.

She remembers having walked amongst the tomb raided sites of Siwa, an urban oasis in Egypt within the Great Sand Sea, picking up remains of funereal wrappings and holding small pieces of the past in her hands. Climbing into the Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh, she saw some of the oldest cave paintings, made from prehistoric dyes and pigments. From the ancient site of Giza to the beautiful natural forms of the termite structures found in Somalia. The colours and textures of these places, often in and around the desert and rooted in the earth, have stayed with her and found a lasting resonance within her work.

She currently works from her studio at Portland Works providing ceramic workshops for small groups. This old cutlery complex is a wonderful building steeped in history and a fabulous place to work in.