Artist Bio
Ursula McGivern graduated from St Mary’s University College, Belfast in 1978 with a B.Ed Degree specialising in ceramics. She worked for 25 years as a graphic designer and teacher, then in 2010 she established Kildoag Pottery with partner Adrian Brothers. Ursula has exhibited in Ireland and the UK, and has work in private collections.
Her studio is based in the Derry countryside with the beaches of Donegal on the doorstep acting as a springboard for creativity.
Ceramics has always been a major working force in her life and she is fascinated by its endless possibilities. Ursula is drawn to the challenges of the wheel, the physicality of throwing and transforming a piece of clay into something new. Her forms tend towards simple elegant shapes with emphasis on achieving a smooth surface that will be responsive to the raku process, which in itself is a conuence of the basic elements of earth, air, re and water. She finds the most rewarding part of the process is successful experimenting with glazes and pushing materials to the limits in the ring process to achieve outcomes which are new and unexpected and give each piece its own unique character.
Ursula takes part in this exhibition with a selection of Saggar fired vessels – combustible materials include Irish seaweed, banana peel, wood shavings, recycled wires and oxides.
