Current Work

Some of the influences in my work come from the years I spent painting fairground rides, and then an Interior Decorating business which included mural work and special decorative effects.
The theme of animals is a constant one, both wild and domestic, which in the last few years has only been interrupted by having to work through my passion for shoes!
More recently I have started to make oversized fruit and vegetables, including mushrooms, apples and pears, in order to experiment with burnishing and smoke firing. I have also been producing pocket sized
"pooches" made in porcelain, and although they are multiples each one is handmade and unique and is proving to be very satisfying to achieve a likeness to many different breeds even on such a small scale.
I also undertake commissions for "pet portraits" mostly cats and dogs, some examples of which can be seen on my website.

Work generally available from:
Pond Galleries. 26 The Pavement. Clapham Common. London. Tel. 0207 622 4051.
The Shop at Morley Gallery, 61, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7HT. Tel. 020 7450 1826
Edwards & Todd, 25a, Museum Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1A 1JU. Telephone: 020 7636 4650
Apple Market, Covent Garden, on Thursdays 10 - 6pm

Other Information:
Lesley undertakes commissions for "pet portraits", some examples of which can be seen on her web site.

Technical Information

Lesley works mostly with White St. Thomas stoneware clay or White Earthenware, both mixed with paper pulp to form Paper Clay. Her work is slab built and she uses various glazes, sculptural matt glazes, oxides and underglazes fired to 1260 stoneware. "Found" ironmongery, high temperature firing wire or rod and ceramic transfers are sometimes introduced into her work.

History

Lesley Martin is a Fine Art graduate of Brighton College of Art. Painting has always been her main occupation, until in 1995 picking up a paintbrush felt like a major chore, and it was time for a new direction. Wanting to explore 3-dimensional work of some kind, she was encouraged by Su Lupasco Washington, who was then teaching ceramics at SCOLA, to try the possibillities of clay. She is now a full-time maker, but still studies ceramics one day a week at Morley College, where Jill Crowley has proved to be a major influence.

Lesley has exhibited her work in various galleries including:

Artmonsky, London.
Wellbeloved Gallery, Dorset
Geffrye Museum, London
Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Northampton Shoe Museum and Art Gallery, Northampton.
Ropewalk Contemporary Art and Crafts Gallery, North Lincolnshire.
Gateway Galleries, Shrewsbury.
Ice House Gallery, Holland Park, London.
Belgravia Gallery, London.
The Menier Gallery, London. 2010.
And regularly exhibits with the London Potters at Morley Gallery. London.