Suri Poulos – portfolio

Contact the artist

https://suripoulosceramics.bigcartel.com
07730 651405
suriepoulos@gmail.com

Meet the artist

The artist at work

Exhibition information

I specialise in the intricate Nerikomi ceramic technique, tracing its roots back to 7th-century China. By infusing coloured stains into porcelain, I achieve captivating patterns without surface painting. My method is similar to millefiori glasswork, and involves meticulously layering slices of coloured clay in a block. After slicing and reconfiguring the block multiple times, I take thin cross-sectional slices to reveal intricate designs. I arrange these cross-sectional slices using  “book symmetry” to bring out the innate harmony in the design. I then roll and compress the slices into a sheet, cut it into templates and carefully press the cut shapes into moulds. Once dry, the vessels are carefully cleaned, fired, glazed and fired again. My process, spanning 4-6 weeks, allows for the necessary resting and drying time at each stage.

Driven by a desire to express my painterly sensitivities through clay, I revel in the interplay of vibrant colours against the canvas of white porcelain. Inspired by ceramic artists like Carolyn Genders and Maria ten Kortenaar, I embrace “happy accidents,” fostering spontaneity in my use of colour and pattern.

Overcoming the challenge of arthritis affecting my ability to use brushes, I pivoted towards the Nerikomi technique. This shift enabled me to infuse colour and intricate decoration within the clay itself, bypassing extensive brushwork decoration. Continual experimentation with materials and techniques enables me to realise my evolving artistic vision.

My ceramic art seeks to resonate not only through its intricate patterns but also through its delicate beauty and mystery. 

Artist information

 Biography

Suri Poulos is an American born British National, living in Henley-On Thames, Oxfordshire. She completed a European Honours Programme based in Rome, through Rhode Island School of Design. Her Fine Arts degree focused on painting, printmaking, and glass (working under Dale Chihuly).

Her passion for ceramics began with a weekly studio course she attended at Oxford College for a number of years. Once she organised her own studio, in a converted caravan in her garden, she couldn’t get enough of the joy of working with clay, eventually committing to a full-time focus as a ceramic artist. 

Exhibitions

New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham – Summer Show 2026

Potfest Scotland, Scone Palace, July 2026

Henley Royal Regatta Gallery  July 2024 – July 2026

Henley Arts Trail – May 2021 – May 2026

Oxfordshire Arts Weeks – May 2023 – May 2026

The Makers Fair, Standen House, West Sussex – May 2026

Art in Clay – Farnham, December 2025

Celebrating Ceramics, Waterperry Gardens , 2025

Made Brighton – December 2024

Ongoing

Celia Coleman Gallery, London

The Rosenfield Collection 

Simon Drew Gallery, Dartmouth

Fitch and Fellows Gallery, Thame

Old Kiln Yard Gallery, Wokingham

Education and Training

Rhode Island School of Design – Bachelors of Fine Art – Painting and Printmaking – 1976-1980

City of Oxford College – Ceramics – 2013-2016

Curtis Benzle – Coloured Clay Course – January 2024

West Forest Potters – regular workshops and speakers – 2019 – present

Professional Associations

ondon Potters – Member

Craft Potters Association – Associate Member