Ceramicist pens book on wonders of clay

Additions to Clay Bodies is a guide to ingredients one can mix through clay to achieve interesting finishes. This is the first book written by Kathleen Standen, a ceramicist who uses experimental techniques in her own practice.

Standen lives in West Cork. She was born in London to Irish parents. Her father was a weekend artist and a major inspiration to Standen. He trained under Gerard Dillon and like Dillon he painted scenes from the Irish countryside.

Standen was a science teacher in her earlier career. This gives her the perfect background to pen a book of this nature. Her experience is evident in the text which has a clear and comprehensive voice in the step-by-step instructions on how to implement the techniques. “Science and ceramics go hand in hand. There is a bit of science in all art forms, in making sure the materials do what you want them to do in a predictable way.”