
Jane Muir
Jane Muir_bird-head green tree
Longstanding collaborator with The New Ashgate Gallery, Jane Muir, is back to show a new collection of her quirky ceramic people and scenes- and goodness we’re delighted!
Whether one little face reminds you of school teacher you thought you’d forgotten, or that little man smiles just like your grandad, maybe the quirky couple displayed will be just like you and your partner? There is something in each of Jane Muir’s Ceramics to evoke a feeling of warmth, a feeling of recognition, a feeling of home. Their eccentric humour beams from each little jaunty face, their clever simplicity and gentle glazes leave room for the lovely textured clay beneath to percolate through, again creating that personality that reminds each of us of somewhere familiar
Each of Jane Muir’s works are made with a kindness that speaks to the viewer. The sculptures themselves are whimsical and border on the absurd or surreal. representing a witty and uncluttered observation of the world. Figures that stand alone or placed in an architectural landscape are hand modelled, allowing her the freedom to sketch with clay and develop ideas during the making process. Jane's figures are not about specific individuals but are a personification of the stereotype or archetypal character. Her work offers an uncomplicated and idiosyncratic view of the world, and we, at The New Ashgate Gallery, adore it.
Jane Muir studied ceramics at Central St Martins School of Art and the Royal College of Art. Since leaving the RCA in 1992 she has exhibited widely, notably in Ceramic Contemporaries, V&A, and a solo show at the Molesey Gallery, Surrey. In 1997 she was also awarded a Crafts Council Grant helping her to set up her present studio.
Jane's work has been exhibited widely throughout the UK, Europe, America and Japan. Jane's inspiration comes from various sources and has remained fairly consistent throughout her career, including modern masters such as Peter Blake, Eduardo Paolozzi and Elizabeth Frink and some more traditional crafts such as the work of the Staffordshire Potters.