This is a new series of blog posts from me called “treasure” because the posts are about pieces of work that we are lucky enough to own and love.
We have long loved the work of RAMP (Roop & Al Make Pots) which is a creative partnership between Alice Hartford and Rupert Johnstone. They met at Edinburgh College of Art in the 1990s and started working together as RAMP in 2001 in London. They are now based in Devon.
I personally remember seeing their ceramics (and taking a sneaky photograph) at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen quite a few years ago. I think I saw a large plate or bowl and instantly fell in love.
Anyway, we were lucky enough to be at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen’s exhibition on jugs a couple of years ago (or was it only last year?) and we managed to buy one of RAMP’s jugs.
Roop and Al make these wonderful ceramics which are full of abstract and inspirational decoration and mark making. They remind me of the weather, or natural phenomena like the sea or rock formations. I particularly love how they employ bold, broad brush strokes which pick up the bristle texture really well and combine them with much finer details.
Then, last year, I asked RAMP to make one of their lovely containers for Alice for her birthday. It kind of blew Alice’s mind when she unwrapped it!
You can see really bold trees and branches, some made by making paper masks and decorating with slip, others drawn into the slip with sgraffito techniques. There’s just so much going on, so much to engage my head. I find their work hugely inspirational.
