Craig Mitchell
My work is informed by the constant unraveling of events in contemporary culture and universal themes such as love, loss and
our roles in society. Nothing in my life escapes close scrutiny, every chance comment, every potentially insignificant interaction or memory
is collaged along with other collected imagery into my work. Creating slightly surreal cartoon-like ceramic figures is my way of relating to the increasingly bizarre reality which forms the fabric of our daily lives -ideas can be a way of exorcising demons. I express ideas using humour to ‘sugar the pill’, creating unlikely scenarios, ridiculous juxtapositions or exaggerating the familiar. This draws the reader into
a narrative with a smile before titles or symbols suggest alternative, sometimes darker interpretations.
Born 1967 Irvine, Scotland
Education
1994-95 PGCE, Bolton Institute of Higher Education
1990-92 MA Ceramics, The Royal College of Art
1986-89 BA (Hons) Glass and Ceramics (1st class), University of Sunderland
Awards
2004 First time exhibitor – Chelsea Crafts Fair, Scottish Arts Council.
2003 Award for Creative Development, Scottish Arts Council
Recent Exhibitions
2008 Collect, V&A, London, represented by Contemporary Applied Arts.
2007 Origin, Crafts Council, Somerset House, London
2007 Ceramic Art London, Royal College of Art, London
2006 “Tales of Ordinary People”, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
2006 Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, Solo
2006 Collect, V&A, London
2005 The Gallery Ruthin Craft Centre, (Solo touring, catalogue)
2005 SOFA, New York, represented by CLAY Gallery, Los Angeles
2004 Chelsea Crafts Fair, London
2004 S.O.F.A. exhibition, Chicago, USA, represented by CLAY Gallery
Commissions
2007 Window display of 8 figures, Hamilton and Inches jewelers, Edinburgh
2006 McManus Galleries, Dundee, Scotland
2006 Gary Hart, London
Public Collections
2006 McManus Galleries, Dundee, Scotland
2001 World Ceramic Centre, Ichon, Korea
2000 Yingko Ceramics Museum, Taipei County, Taiwan
1997 The Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland
Publications
2006 The Ceramic Narrative by Matthias Ostermann, AC Black
2005 Craig Mitchell - Cast of characters, catalogue to accompany solo show at Ruthin Crafts Centre
2004 Ceramic Review No. 206, Exhibition review
2003 Ceramics Art and Perception ‘Craig Mitchell’s Clay Tales’, feature article
Public Collection
The Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh