Elaine Bolt
Elaine Bolt is a Sussex-based ceramic artist known for her evocative, mixed-media creations that draw inspiration from the landscapes and natural textures of the South Downs. Working from her studio on Ditchling Common, she crafts a range of wall pieces, vessels, and sculptures that blur the lines between organic materials and ceramic art.
Elaine’s work is rooted in narrative and influenced by the contrasts between the man-made and the natural world, featuring found objects that she incorporates alongside porcelain and stoneware ceramics.
Elaine’s hand-built wall pieces are particularly striking, integrating materials like driftwood, rusted metal, and bone, which harmonise with her ceramic components to evoke a sense of place and history. These compositions are often characterised by subtle, earthy tones—flint blacks, soft greys, and chalk whites—that mirror the muted colours of the South Downs landscape. Her thrown vessels, in contrast, reflect a simplicity in form but are rich in texture and detail, often finished with delicate mixed-media additions.
With an MA in Ceramics from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Farnham, Elaine has also gained recognition through the Crafts Council’s Hothouse program, an esteemed talent development initiative. She share her expertise through teaching. Elaine has also undertaken projects supported by Arts Council England and the Quenington Sculpture Trust, and her work has been featured in Ceramic Review and various other publications.
Each of Elaine’s creations reflects her commitment to individuality and craftsmanship, with pieces that are at once personal and profoundly connected to the landscape, allowing viewers to experience a unique blend of the crafted and the found.
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