Antonia Lawson

1958 Born Hong Kong, Republic of China

EDUCATION

—Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Republic of China

—Macclesfield College, Macclesfield, United Kingdom

—The Fringe Pottery Center, Hong Kong

—Terra Linda Recreation, San Rafael, California

—College of Marin, Kentfield, California

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

—Ceramic Technician and Substitute Teacher, Terra Linda Recreation, Ceramic Center

2006 Career Grant Recipient, Marin Arts Council, Kentfield, California

BIOGRAPHY

 Antonia Lawson is known for making hand-built sculptural and functional ceramics. Her work varies by series, but her work is usually made of low fire clay that contains a substantial proportion of grog (clay, which has been fired then ground up that is used to reduce shrinkage in clay bodies).   Lawson finishes her work with a bold color palette that she attributes to her time in Asia. Her series can range from ceramic vessels with landscape illustrations, to phallic wall hanging hearts, to human figures with animal heads.

Lawson first studied ceramics in the United Kingdom.

Lawson was born in Hong Kong and traveled extensively throughout Europe, India, China and the Far East. She worked and lived in Taiwan. She discusses her process as follows: “I most commonly use fat coils to build my pieces, using my thumbs and a rubber kidney to smooth out the wall. I make my own sprig molds in the English Wedgwood tradition and use these to create the small clay embellishments that are added to some of my pieces. I carve my own texture stamps. Works are finished with under-glazes, glazes, stains, and oxides. My pieces are multi-fired in an electric kiln. "