ADÉLE SHERLOCK

RESIDENCY SHORTLISTED ARTISTS CRAFTS

2026

South African ceramic artist renowned for hand-built, high-fired porcelain sculptures. Specializing in unglazed works that capture the intricate textures and forms of the natural world using press molds of plants, leaves, and natural objects. Fascinated by the paradox of vulnerability versus resilience, creating intricate designs from repetitive shapes that echo femininity and lightness. Work combines casting, extruding, and press molding, rooted in a deep connection to nature, allowing the raw qualities of porcelain to shine through. “The process of molding and manipulating the clay fascinates me: how a small variation in technique can yield completely different results.” Education Honours Degree in Design. 1991 Stellenbosch University, South Africa Focused on structure and form, informing technical and aesthetic approaches to ceramic sculpture. Professional Experience Creative director, Femina, Associated Magazines, Sarie, Media 24 Freelance Designer Independent ceramicist Awards and Recognitions Ceramics Southern Africa “New Signature Award First Merit”, South Africa, 2023 Clay Awards,

I am a South African ceramic artist working in hand-built, high-fired porcelain. My practice is rooted in the tactile and transformative nature of clay, where subtle shifts in process yield different outcomes. I am drawn to porcelain’s paradox: its transition from fluid to solid, simultaneous strength and fragility. Working across casting, extruding and press-moulding, I construct intricate, repetitive organic forms with a distinctly feminine sensibility. The plant life of my environment inspires this language, particularly the Western Cape Floral Region, the richest floral kingdom in the world. I create moulds from botanical elements (found elements from beach and nature walks) then combine them with extruded porcelain forms. I build complex structures that echo my moments experienced in nature. I am interested in the way clay records touch. It records fingerprints, impressions and traces before taking on a life of its own in the kiln. My individual porcelain elements, delicate and vulnerable in isolation, gain strength through accumulation and interconnection. I forgo glaze, allowing the raw, luminous quality of porcelain to define each form. There is a sense of quiet wonder in this process, a translation of the joy and curiosity I experience in nature into an intimate feminine porcelain shape.