Who is Jo?
Jo Davies is a London based ceramic maker. Jo graduated from the Royal College nearly 3 years ago and has been working as a full time maker ever since.
Why does London inspire me?
London keeps me running - the availability of source materials, the visual stimulation - beautiful and ugly - the competitive environment, the expense....I love living somewhere that so much happens. Having grown up on a Herefordshire hillside I can't get enough of the built environment.
My Craft London work is…
Inspired by the life and work of William Morris. The work at Craft London is the result of a new project that has come out of research into Morris imagery. The WIlliam Morris Gallery in Walthamstow has kindly allowed me access to their reserve collection of original drawings and prints, providing an amazing insight into a well known but perhaps presently underrated craftsperson whose extensive interests and travel made him a creative pioneer in his life time. The work I have produced is porcelain, re-translating Morris' 2D imagery into three dimensions; I have created a panel that emulates some of Morris' printed motifs and combines them with my own strange, curling aesthetic.
Why am I the one to watch?
This project represents a change in my work. I am becoming known for the vessels and lighting designs that I make but this work is a one-off piece and is a departure from the norm. Hopefully the work will go on to be displayed at the Morris Gallery in the Autumn.
What does the future hold?
2010 has got off to an exciting start for me. I have taken part in the BBC's 'Mary Queen of Shops', been described as '...one of the UK's top new designers...' by Mary Portas, been commissioned to create a pair of sculptures for a private collector in Moscow and been featured in the March issue of Period Living Magazine. I have a good feeling about 2010.