{"title":"Cate Pates","description":"\u003cp\u003eI hold a degree in ceramics with honours from the UK and run my own studio, Fig Tree Studio, where I run boutique clay classes around the Wellington area. As well as creating and selling my own ceramic art, I’ve won awards, held exhibitions and been featured in several publications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a child I used to spend hours making animals out of fimo and telling stories with them. And I was always happy to be drawing. Now the materials may have changed slightly but the soul drive is still the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI like to sculpt animals which have some magical and mystical energy to them,and especially those from my birthplace in England. Foxes, Hares, Owls and Ravens hold spiritual significance for me and I find much joy in creating them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVessels have many layered meanings and I like that they both inhabit a form within a space and contain a space within. When I add decoration I use the outside and the inside to tie them both together. Drawings and text are my way of bringing elements of line and fantasy to the piece. I like to include aspects of nature and use my own poetry and drawing to invoke feeling and depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI use earthenware clay and hand build each piece, using multiple firings to get the finish I desire. My glazes are made from scratch and I add surface colour with underglazes and coloured slips. I draw directly onto the bisqued pieces with ceramic pencils to create layers of surface decoration.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0259\/9128\/2754\/collections\/portrait.jpg?v=1784589564","url":"https:\/\/oragallery.co.nz\/collections\/cate-pates.oembed","provider":"ORA Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}