Ariadna Alvarez – Oxfordshire Artweeks

93 Ariadna Alvarez

Region: Wallingford – South & Vale

Artform: Ceramics, Pottery, Sculpture

I am excited to be exhibiting my work at a Grade II listed barn at Braziers Park, a historic country house and estate on the edge of the village of Ipsden, near Wallingford. Set within the rolling Chiltern countryside, the barn offers a beautiful, atmospheric setting for my nature-led, rustic ceramics. I will be exhibiting from 2nd –4th May and 8th–10th May.

My practice centres on a deep respect for raw materials and the quiet beauty of clay. I work primarily with black stoneware for my functional pieces, allowing the clay body to remain visible wherever possible, celebrating its natural texture and depth. Neutral glazes are used sparingly, enhancing rather than concealing the surface, resulting in work that feels grounded, tactile, and timeless objects that appear gently aged, shaped by both hand and time.

Alongside functional tableware, I create sculptural vases, wall hangings, and light objects. These pieces are fired using a combination of pit firing and electric kilns, with each technique chosen for its unique relationship to surface, atmosphere, and mark-making. Fire, smoke, and mineral interaction become collaborators in the process, lending each piece an organic, weathered character.

Across both functional and sculptural work, my ceramics explore the balance between utility and art, embracing imperfection and the quiet narratives embedded in handmade objects. The outcome is a collection of rustic, nature-led ceramics that feel both contemporary and ancient anchored in material honesty and crafted with a sense of enduring presence.