Graphite Couple

Handbuilt Ceramic Sculpture by Mariska de Jager

H 35cm x W 28 cm x D 11cm

I have always been intrigued by the human form and its flaws. Every face tells a story - whether that be fear, despair, love, hope, anxiety or dreams. I love the lines of the eyes and the way a person’s mouth changes along with their emotions. My aim is to capture these emotions and for the viewer to identify with the emotions I try and realise through my work. All my work reflects my own feelings and experiences. Fragility is a recurring theme in most of my finished pieces… Humans are so fragile but at the same time so strong. It’s about mental illness and the effects it have on us.

I am married with two kids and I immigrated from South Africa 12 years ago. We recently settled in the beautiful Cambridge. I am a full time ceramic sculptor and work from my studio in the Whitehall area.

"Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye, it also includes the inner pictures of the soul. No longer shall I paint interiors with men reading and women knitting. I will paint living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love." - Edvard Munch