Artist's Statement

Sylph Baier’s interest in producing functional tableware originated in Germany whilst working in advertising, mainly displaying ceramics. Her love and passion for food, backed by a visually exciting eating culture, has led her to invent many beautiful ranges over the years.

Serving a traditional apprenticeship with Pru Green in Carmarthenshire/Wales, followed by 3 highly successful years studying ceramics, Sylph decided to stay in Great Britain and joined an artists co-operative in Brighton where she started to produce her “Storm in a Teacup “range. The intention was to produce tableware which is humorous, accessible, sensuous to the touch, functional and to look great with or without food. It draws on the narrative of Britain’s seafaring history and is easily understood by everyone from any background or age group.

Many other ranges followed, and her current “Lift range” is mainly form based, drawing on 27 years of throwing experience, taking the material to its limits and constantly exploring functionality and purpose. The soft, tactile glaze of the “Lift” range is available in 7 colours.  Sylph specialises in making bespoke tea - and dinner sets and enjoys creating specialist objects for customers, from tulip vases, to honeycomb pots. She also produces a children’s range, personalizing everything with names and birth dates.

“I see myself very much as a service who can work with the customer within my visual vocabulary, in producing tailor made functional pots which have presence and soul.” The notion that my work is being used and treasured by many people on a daily basis gives me a great sense of purpose and satisfaction and will keep me going forever and a day.”

Current Work

My current tableware range, “Lift”, is wheel-thrown and assembled or altered, and is high fired earthenware, which is dishwasher proof and available in 7 colours.

Tableware Designs:
Reduction fired stoneware range
Chun Ware
Face Range
Cathrinwheel Range
Fountain Range
Slip Ware
Majolica stripes
Tartan Flower Range
Blue and white bird Range
Storm in a teacup Range

Work Generally Available from:
Green Tree Gallery, Millbrook buildings, Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath, RH16 1XP
Contemporary Ceramics, 7 Marshall Street, London, W1F 7EH, 020 7 437 7605
Primavera, 10 Kings Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ, 01223 357708
High Street Gallery, 1 Higher Street, Dartmouth, TQ6 9RB, 01803 833157
The Sussex Guild Shop, The North Wing, Southover Grange, Southover Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1UF, 01273 479565
Liberty Gallery, 7 Queen Street, Liberty Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, ME19 4DA, 01732 52231 

Technical Information

Electric fired earthenware glazes in 7 colours, fired to 1100-1120.

Background History

1970-75 Realschule Obersulm
1975-78 Fachschule für Farbe und Gestaltung, Stuttgart
              Apprenticeship in window dressing and advertising
              Cambridge proficiency course in English
              Technical College, Colchester
1980-81 Apprenticeship with Pru Green at Gwili Pottery Pontarsais, Dyfed
1981-84 Dyfed College of Art, Carmarthen Dip Ceramics, Distinction

Distinction for displaying the award winning “Suomi Collage” by Rosenthal
1984      David J Clarke Award Student of the year award
1990     Travel bursary awarded by South East Arts to research into ceramic stoves in Bavaria
1975-78 Fa. Kachel. Window dressing and advertising
1978-79 Freelance window dressing in Berlin
1979-80 Vost Fine Art, Auctioneers and Valuers
1980-81 Production Thrower for Pru Green, Pontarsais Production Thrower at Lannards Gallery, Billingshurst
1989      Joined Red Herring Studios in Brighton and established workshop. Taught ceramics in summer camp in State New York under the Bunac scheme Adult education at the Weald, Billingshurst. Started part time teaching GCSE and A Level Ceramics at S Michaels School, Petworth. Established ceramic workshop for mentally handicapped young adults at Ifield Hall training centre
1990-04 Taught numerous courses, students and teachers.

Memberships:
Chartered Society of Designers
Professional member of the Craft Potters Association
Professional Member of British Design Innovation
Chair of Fiveways Artist Group 2004-2006

Exhibition History

Nov 07 Brighton Craft Fair 
Aug 07 Thebes Gallery Lewes – Summer Show
Jul 07 CPA at Fifty – The Gallery at Bevere 
Jun 07 Worthing Open House
May 07 Brighton Artists Open House 
Nov 06 Brighton Craft Fair
July 06 Celebration Age Festival 
May 06 Brighton Artists Open House
May 06 The Yellow House Brighton
May 06 Skelton Workshops Ditchling
April 06 Southover Grange Lewes 
Feb 06 The Art Room Lewes
Dec 05 Florence Road Christmas Show
Nov 05 Glyndebourne
Sept 05 The Infrequent Gallery Nutley
May 05 Brighton Artists Open House
July 04 Travemünde North Germany
May 04 Artists Open House, Brighton
April 04 Gallery 100  Donne Mileham &Haddock,BN1
Nov  03 “Tea for two” Rufford Craft Centre
Oct  03 Thebes Gallery Lewes
Aug  03 Arundel Festival
July  03 Tredegar Ceramics Fair Wales
July  03 “On the beach” Alexander Gallery BN1
Dec  02 Crypt Gallery Seaford
Oct   02 sasoon Gallery Folkstone
Aug  02 Art in Clay Hatfield House
July 02 Kaffee Hagen Southern Germany
May 01 Open House Brighton
May 01 Töpfermarkt Diessen
June 01 “Once in a blue moon” Massachussetts
Feb 01 Collection of Harpenden
May 00 Brighton Artists Open House
99 Sabatical in Paris
Feb 98 Recent ceramics Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
Nov 97 Sussex Guild Christmas Schow
Sept 97 Top Draw London
Aug 97 Michelham Priory
May 97 “Thoughts of the Sea “ The Whibley Galleries Worthing
Oct 96 Farnham Ceramics Fair
Feb 96 Country Living Fair London
Nov 95 Clode Gallery Bridgnorth
Oct 94 Chelsea Crafts Fair London
Oct 93 Chelsea Crafts Fair London
Oct 92 Chelsea Crafts Fair London
Aug 92 “Mug shots”Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
July 92 “Plats du jour” Bluecoat Display Centre
June 92 10’X10’ Higher Street Gallery Dartmouth
May 92 Brighton Festival Open House Exhibition
Dec  91 Open House Christmas Exhibition
Nov 91 Highland Printmakers, Inverness
Oct 91 Chelsea Crafts Fair London
Feb 91 Gardener Arts Centre Falmer
Jan 91 Teapot Exhibition Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
July 90 Kachel Germany
June 90 “Gateways” Metropole Arts Centre Folkstone
May 90 Crossing Over Cornexchange Brighton
April 90 Royal Pavilion Shop BN1 “Objects of Desire”
Dec 89 Gardener Arts Centre Falmer
Dec 89 Red Herring Christmas Exhibition
Oct 89 Chelsea Crafts Fair London
May 89 Chaos and order Red Herring Studios
Nov 88 Direct Design London
May 88 Dog &Wolf Red Herring Studios
Nov 87 Southbank Centre London
May 87 Box of Unearthly Delights Red herring Studios
Jan 86 Easton Rooms Rye
May 85 Lannards Gallery Billingshurst
Feb 85 Tides Gallery Seaford
Dec 84 Platform Gallery Brighton
Aug 84 Glynn Vivian Gallery Swansea
June 84 Henry Thomas Gallery Carmarthen

Retail Outlets

Contemporary Ceramics London
Frivoli Chiswick
Primavera Cambridge
Alchemists Gallery Yarmouth
Higher Street Gallery Dartmouth
Mission Gallery Swansea
Model House Craft and Design Centre Llantrisant
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Oriel Mostyn Llandudno
The Arc Chester
Parkfields Gallery Ross on Wye
Ziel Earls Colne
The Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
Neals Yard Remedies Brighton
Kaffee Hagen Heilbronn

Commissions

Neals Yard Remedies: Development and design of 3 prototypes of essential oil burners
Hove Museum,:Dolls teaset
Shine Film productions: Ceramic props
Campbell Soups, mug prototype
Numerous private commissions from single one offs to 12 piece dinner sets

Publications

Leader
Argus
Brighton and Hove Life
Carmarthen Journal
Heilbronner Stimme
Options
Financial Times
World of Interiors
Grand Design
Ceramic Review
Royal Academy Magazine
Prima Magazine
Elle Interiors
Latest Homes