Jan Byrne


Website: janbyrneceramics.com

Instagram: janbyrneceramics


Statement


My work is mainly ceramic, hand built with many layers of decoration. The pieces are fine art in nature and represent thoughts, feelings or ideas, which often mirror events, personal to me or are part of our collective experience. Work often has recycling or green issues at its heart, as well as other concerns and demands which  modern society may subject us to. 


Biography


 

I have made ceramic work almost continually since leaving Art College in 1978. Although teaching has been my main profession since then, I believe that my ability to create and develop my own work during this entire period has both informed and enhanced my capability as an art teacher. Interestingly teaching has continued to improve and extend my own personal knowledge, particularly in the field of art history, and that in turn has influenced my own art-work.

One of the benefits of using my teaching career to finance life outside the creative process of making my own work is that it has enabled me to pursue my own ideas and concepts, without the pressure to sell pieces within a given timescale or price.  I believe that this has given me a great deal of freedom and has been significant in the manner which my work has developed. Since 2016 I have been working full time in my studio.