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13 November 2014

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You are in: Essex > Entertainment > Arts & Culture > Potted history

Potter Pam Schomberg

Pam originally studied to be an actress

Potted history

Pam Schomberg has been working as an artist since the 1980s. Her creations are influenced by her family ancestory as Jewish Polish immigrants. The Colchester potter tells us how textiles play an important role in her work.

"My father was a tailor, as was his father and his father before him.Ìý I work as if I'm working with fabric.Ìý I cut out patterns and I join them," enthuses artists Pam Schomberg.

Teapots

Pam's work can be seen across the world

The tailored look is evident in Pam's pieces from the buttons, collars, seams and edges which are carefully joined to make her distinctive articles.Ìý

"I don't want them to look like clothes.Ìý It is just the way I do it," Pam explains.Ìý "They come out looking like little people."

Every piece that Pam creates is unique - in colour, shape and design.

Pam's latest creation is for the Braintree Art Trail.Ìý Artists were invited to submit ideas along the theme of 'windows' to reflect the important local heritage of the Crittall Window Company.

Sugar bowl

A piece for the Crittall collection

Pam was one of two winners to receive a bursary to make a piece for Crittall.Ìý The resulting piece is a tea service.

"When I first read about Crittall and really looked into it, what really struck me was looking at huge buildings with lots and lots of windows," says Pam.

"Now I've done more research and looked more into the history - the old logos, the old catalogue covers - there is a lot of the art movement there from the 1930s."

The Crittall influence is easy to see in Pam's tea service.Ìý Each pieces is unique in shape and design, the common theme is the windows.Ìý Pam was particularly inspired by one of the Woolworths buildings in Edinburgh.

"It had all the windows underneath which were brightly coloured.Ìý Then it had all kinds of windows.Ìý Featured windows with colour as well," explains Pam.

Potter Pam Schomberg's work

Each piece is different

The shelves of Pam's studio at Cuckoo Farm are packed with her earlier pieces which she uses to develop her finished article.Ìý Pam has spent hours reaching this stage as the pieces are time consuming, requiring firings after each colour is added.

"It's a very slow process, not a fast way of working.Ìý Especially, the job I'm doing today which is colour.Ìý Every day I'll just sit colouring, colouring.Ìý Then it goes in the kiln, comes out, goes back in," says Pam.

With her Crittall pieces nearing completion, Pam is already thinking about her next project.Ìý

"I'm going to do some modelling pieces, that's something I've never done before so I'm really anxious to get on with it."

Pam will be exhibiting a selection of her work as part of the Braintree Art Trail which runs from Saturday, 11, to Sunday, 26, July.

last updated: 23/06/2009 at 11:44
created: 23/06/2009

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