Interview
Tiffany Scull
Since she was a small girl, Tiffany has loved to draw, and she was encouraged to develop this throughout her childhood.
Tiffany’s excitement for the magical possibilities of clay began at art college, and these feelings have never faded. Discovering and specializing in the beautiful technique of Sgraffito has allowed her to pair up her two loves - drawing and clay work.
She is passionate about this time-consuming process, and has developed a distinctive and unique style. Each piece is made and meticulously decorated by hand.
Tiffany finds it very fascinating to tell a story, trying to capture a fleeting moment in time. Birds and fish are particular favourites and being such nervous creatures, Tiffany hopes to give the impression that they may take flight from a vessel or dish at any moment. Her forms and designs are ever changing, and Tiffany has numerous sketchbooks waiting to come to life.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“As a small girl, I spent every spare minute drawing. I grew up in central London with my family, and a father who is an artist. This made for an interesting childhood. At that time, we had no garden, so with a love for nature, I escaped into my imagination and spent many hours in my bedroom drawing and painting images from the books and magazines I liked. We moved to the Isle of Wight when I was 10, which was very different. I loved being amongst nature on the island, and continued to draw and paint. I enjoyed school.
After finishing A-level art, I went on to spend five years at three different art colleges in the south of England. It was during my time on a BTEC that I discovered, and fell in love with clay. I started to specialise in sgraffito and slip decoration over 20 years ago.”
What inspires you most?
“My inspiration always comes from the natural world. But I’m also looking for great colours, shapes, movement and the interaction between different creatures and their habitat. I work from a variety of printed material, as I need accurate detail and several different views for each design.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I have no underlying, hidden message other than that we need to respect, embrace and protect this amazing planet with its diverse and incredible habitat.”
“My themes are all about joy and a celebration of nature. I always hope to invoke a feeling of pleasure and happiness when people view my work. I feel there is a lot of darkness and unhappiness in the world, and if someone can find some enjoyment from owning or just looking at a piece, then my job as an artist has been fulfilled.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is totally unique to me, and has developed and evolved over many years. Each piece is a one-off three-dimensional painting in clay, both sculptural and decorative. A fine art piece, and not functional in any way. I do feel I have some connection to Art Nouveau, and the Arts and Crafts movement.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I would not say any artist has influenced my work, but I have always loved the paintings by Gustav Klimt. I also admire the delicate drawings by Maurice Sendak and the ceramics by Elizabeth Fritsch and Mary Wondrausch.”
What is your creative process like?
“I always have too many ideas flying around my head at any one time, so I choose to focus on a few at a time. These may be developing earlier designs, or new inspiration which has come from a piece I’m working on or an image I’ve seen. Form and decoration work hand in hand, and I spend time throughout the day revisiting my thoughts, looking for a way forward. Sketching is an intrinsic part of this process as I try to picture the finished piece and draw ideas for form and decoration. I have found that sometimes a commission using a new theme can spark off a whole new collection.
My process begins with finding the images I want to use. From there, I create detailed line drawings. I design the size and shape of the form for each piece, as different sizes suit different decorations. There are many different stages to completing a piece and I use paper, carving, coloured clay slips and handmade tools. I specialise in painting with my slips and sgraffito, which means I am drawing through the clay surface while it is damp to reveal another colour underneath. I have created over 50 clay slips colours, and I’m always testing and developing new ones. As each piece can take many hours to finish, I have a large collection of music in my studio which I find helps me to fully concentrate.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I feel in today’s digital and virtual world, the role of the artist is even more important. Creating a physical object, and learning how to manipulate, and master a process keeps us in touch with the real world. The art world has expanded to embrace technology, but for me, that could never replace the touch and feel of paper or clay. Being an artist involves so many aspects, and my brain is always working - either problem solving or developing thoughts to turn into physical pieces.”
“I read a study that said ‘day dreaming and using your imagination is an important part of the development and growth for the brain’. The arts have an important role to play in mental wellbeing, and connecting with people in the real world.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I recently exhibited a new collection of tropical sea-inspired sgraffito pieces with Cambridge Contemporary Art. You can view it here.”
