Ceramic artist wins National Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Craft and Design

Nation.Cymru staff

A ceramic artist whose delicate porcelain vessels have been praised for their craftsmanship has been awarded the National Eisteddfod’s Gold Medal for Craft and Design.

Justine Allison, who lives in Newcastle Emlyn, will receive the prestigious award and a £5,000 prize at a ceremony at the National Eisteddfod in Llantwd on Saturday.

Originally from south London, Allison has lived in Wales for more than 20 years and has exhibited at Y Lle Celf on several occasions. This is the first time she has received one of the Eisteddfod’s major awards.

She said she was overwhelmed when she learned she had won.

“I cried when I found out I was getting the Gold Medal,” she said.

“I’m not a Welsh speaker and receiving this award means a lot to me. I moved to Wales and became part of the craft world and saw what’s happening.

“I’ve been to the National Eisteddfod and seen the work done by others, and to have my work exhibited alongside them is really a great privilege.”

This year’s exhibition features around 30 hand-built porcelain vessels of varying sizes. The finely crafted pieces are so thin that they become translucent when held up to the light.

Allison first began working with porcelain while studying at Camberwell College in London, where she explored the way light interacted with thin ceramic forms.

Since graduating in 1988, she has specialised in hand-built porcelain, initially drawing inspiration from the architecture and atmosphere of city life before finding new influences after moving to rural west Wales.

She describes her work as sitting between the functional and the decorative.

“I make groups of ceramic vessels that feel connected by how they look and how they sit together,” she said.

“I roll, cut and build everything by eye, so there’s always some natural unevenness. Even a small imperfection can make a piece sit off-centre, but I welcome that. Movement is important to me, and I learn by experimenting.”

The Gold Medal selectors, Christine Kinsey and Llio James, chose this year’s exhibition from work submitted by more than 300 established and emerging artists.

‘Honesty’

Explaining the decision, Llio James said Allison’s work stood out for its simplicity, honesty and exceptional craftsmanship.

“Perhaps it was the simplicity of the lines that attracted me to Justine Allison’s work, but ultimately I chose the work because of the stillness; the feeling that the material was treated with pure honesty,” she said.

“Above all her work stands as an example of craftsmanship of the highest order, where every detail is a testament to real skill.”

The Gold Medal for Craft and Design will be presented at the Eisteddfod Pavilion on Saturday evening before a celebration at Y Lle Celf, where Allison’s work will remain on display throughout the festival.

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