Lisa-Marie Tann
Background
I am an artist living and working in Cardiff, South Wales. I exhibit regularly and am represented by a number of galleries in England and Wales. I am a member of the Makers Guild in Wales and since 2019 I have been on the Board of Trustees. I am an active member of the creative community in Cardiff and have been involved in a number of arts groups, being instrumental in setting up regular exhibitions, arts markets and residencies.
Having studied Ceramics and Design at Howard Gardens in Cardiff to degree level, I started my professional career in the arts, teaching and working in a variety of community, educational, and health care settings.
The primary focus of my work after graduating was to enable and help develop the creativity in others, from large scale community and public art projects to small focus groups.
I work in a local SEN school and enjoy employing a variety of mediums. The emphasis on multi-sensory art work, spontaneity and unpredictable outcomes so necessary in my teaching, also crosses into my personal practice.
In recent years, I have extended my own practice and now enjoy a balance of teaching with making, exhibiting and selling my own ceramic artwork.
My Work and Inspiration
Early on in my artistic career, I explored the use of printed imagery onto the ceramic surface, manipulating the clay prior to firing in order to produce distorted decorative and figurative effects. This use of the printed image has often continued through my ceramic artwork, either as direct screen-printing, mono-printing or using transfer decals.
My latest work marks a methodological shift away from the printed surface image. Instead, I have begun to apply slips and glazes directly to the clay forms, experimenting with colour and texture to produce abstract designs that nonetheless evoke natural phenomena.
The constant source of inspiration for my artwork is nature, mainly rock textures, exposed strata layers in the cliffs, eroded beach debris, and generally any interesting textures and colours I encounter while walking.
Experimentation and unpredictability remain paramount to my practice. Working directly into the clay before creating the slab-built structures or using flat, canvas-like sheets of clay to create large wall panels. I combine combustible materials and metals that eat into the surface of the clay with poured, painted, dripped and splashed slips. These are bisque fired, and then painted again with stains and glazes.
I continue to challenge my skills as a maker and artist. It is the enjoyment of the making process and the continuing development of an evolving creativity which drives my practice.
Recent Exhibitions
Maker in Focus Crafts in the Bay
2020 Art of Wales, Lime Tree Gallery, Bristol
2019/20 Winter Exhibition, Crafts in the Bay, Cardiff
2019-Made by Hand
2018 -Made by Hand, City Hall
2018 -Botanical Garden Wales
2017- collection in Church House Design Gallery, Clevedon.
2016 - Oriel Cric, Crickhowell
2015 – Penarth Pavilion Arts Fair
2015 – Y Galeri, Caerphilly
2014 - Cardiff Arts Collective Craft Fair
2014 – Cardiff Open, Cardiff City
2014 - Show Case new work Oriel Canfas Cardiff
View/Buy my work
Crafts in the Bay, Makers Guild Wales
Oriel Makers, Cardiff
Glass by Design, Penarth
Lime Tree Gallery, Bristol
Resume
Member of Makers Guild, Trustee Member.
Artist in Residence/Arts Instructor-Ty Gwyn School 2002-Present
Art teacher and arts coordinator responsible for overseeing art and design, displays, exhibitions and arts budget throughout the school. Also responsible for introducing the Arts Award scheme within the school and is a trained Arts Award assessor.
School coordinator for Arts Council Wales Lead Creative Schools Scheme.
Regular Workshop Facilitator- various venues
Project Coordinator-Fairwater Pottery/Vision 21 1994-2002
Public Arts projects undertaken - 22m long handmade screen printed floor tile pavement sited in Sbectrwm, Cardiff.
20m Tile mural for N.A.S.H ( Newport Action for Single Homeless) in Pill, Newport.
Ceramic Floor tile “carpet” commissioned by the Health Authority for the old Ely Hospital site.
Commissions Undertaken
Nine panel ceramic wall art (private) 2020
Community and school murals for Mermaid Quay 2019
Ceramic Wall Mural for St John’s College, St Mellons, Cardiff 2018
Private commission for Astra Games , Bridgend
Bryncelyn Primary School -textiles commission for main hall area
Oakfield Primary School- Tile Mosaic Mural for children's playground
Sure Start commissions , Large Ceramic Triptych sited temporarily at Norwegian Church, Ely and Careau Integrated Childrens’ Centre- Handmade Tile mural for the reception area.
Pioneers Arts – Mosaic Sculpture, Rudolph Wessell Schule, Berlin, Germany.
Large Wall Mosaic - Clarendon School, Trowbridge,
Tile Mural - Cefn Hengoed Leisure Centre, Swansea,
Various Public/community arts mosaic and painted mural projects including Severn Road Infants School, Nantyglo Comp, Aberbargoed Primary School, Aberbargoed Infants School, Edwardsville Primary School.
Past Regular Teaching : Howardian Community Education Centre, Llannover Hall, John Reynolds Centre, Bedwas Arts CEntre, and Ty Draw Mental Health Centre.
Recent Exhibitions/Work Shown from 2014
Awards : Arts Council awards creative development fund.
Education
U.W.I.C Howard Gardens, Cardiff; BA Hons degree Ceramics and Design 1988-1991
Worthing College of Art and Design, West Sussex; Foundation Studies, 1987-88
Chichester Technical College Art A level, History of Art A Level, and Ceramic A Level 1985-1987
Skills :
Passionate about working with individuals and groups to help access and further develop their creativity. Experienced in working with community groups, educational organisations, and individuals in creating artworks, with emphasis on process and participation, but also with a depth of experience in creating high quality finished products using the artwork produced within the initial phases.
Over 25 years experience in working with people with profound and multiple additional needs within the education sector, and the community.
I believe that creativity enriches our lives and I am happy to play a part in encouraging those who believe they are not artistic to discover an unexpected creative flair!