Rose Brettingham

Growing up on the North Norfolk coast, Rose was always surrounded by nature. This has been a lasting influence on her work, along with a love of drawing and illustration.

After completing a BA in Fine Art at Oxford Brooks University in 2011, Rose later discovered her love of clay after a chance invitation to visit a local potter. After just one day she knew that clay was in her future and started pursuing ceramics at any opportunity, first in night classes and workshops. Her first professional position was working as a studio assistant for a local ceramicist Mia Sarosi in Oxford from Dec 2015 to July 2016, teaching her not just about clay, but also what working in a studio entails.

Looking for more ways to expand her knowledge, Rose spent the summer of 2017 at a studio in up-state New York as a studio assistant. Getting to meet artists with unique styles and skills was eye-opening. She loved learning about all the possibilities that lay within the medium of clay and discovering that she could incorporate her other artistic passions into her work such as illustration. The following spring and summer she again worked as an assistant in the Dordogne, France in 2018, before applying for a place on the renowned Ceramics Skills and Design Course in Thomastown, Ireland from Sept 2018- Dec 2020. 

Rose’s work is rooted in her fascination with, and love of, animals, more recently seabirds and tropical birds. In her imagery, she tries to capture the unique characteristics of these entrancing and beautiful creatures, building simple, subtle stories with humour and charm. Learning about each bird and its habits helps her to form its character, first in a sketchbook and then in clay.

Rose keeps her shapes and forms simple, accented with delicate grace notes, so as not to detract from the surface decoration. Experimenting with the salt glazing and wood firing process she delights in the serendipity that these techniques produce – the natural elements of earth, fire, and mineral coming together in surprising and exciting ways. She takes full advantage of this with her sculptural work, letting the atmosphere inside the kiln leave its mark on the surface, enhancing the character and individuality of each piece.