Statement

I create porcelain and bone china works that explore ambiguity through colour, surface, and form. Using casting, staining, and hand-building techniques, I make one-off sculptural pieces guided by an intuitive handling and close attention to the material.

Influenced by still-life painting, found objects, and the shifting atmosphere of an ancient local woodland, I work with a restrained but distinctive palette. My sculptures exist somewhere between object, vessel, and abstraction, encouraging close looking and allowing unexpected associations to emerge.

Each piece resists a fixed reading, holding a quiet, suggestive space between stillness and movement.

Biography

Anne Gibbs is a contemporary ceramic artist based in Cardiff who explores ambiguity through colour, surface, and form. Having initially trained in printmaking before turning to ceramics, she primarily creates abstract sculptures using porcelain and bone China clay. Anne was awarded a Creative Wales Award by the Arts Council of Wales in 2015. As part of the award, she travelled to Japan to study Ikebana, the traditional art of flower arrangement.

This immersive experience continues to have a lasting influence on her practice, deeply informing her approach to colour theory, composition, and spatial relationships within her work. Her solo exhibition The Language of Clay: Still toured galleries across Wales in 2017 following its launch at Mission Gallery. Selected group exhibitions include Significant Forms (2024), the London Art Fair (2020) with the Cynthia Corbett Gallery, Cure3 (2020) at Bonhams, and Collect (2018) at the Saatchi Gallery, represented by Ruthin Craft Centre.

She has been shortlisted for major accolades including the Discerning Eye Exhibition (2025), the Young Masters Grand Prize (2019), and the British Ceramics Biennial (2015). In recognition of her commitment to craftsmanship, Anne's practice has been featured in the prestigious Homo Faber Guide.

She is the recipient of the Gold Medal for Craft and Design at the National Eisteddfod of Wales (2012) and the Purchase Prize (2023), which resulted in the acquisition of a series of five ceramic works for the permanent collection at the National Museum Cardiff. Her work is held in public and private collections across Wales, the United States, Greece, and South Korea

CV

  • Solo Exhibitions:

    2023 Shift : Canfas Gallery, Cardigan, Wales

    2017 A language of Clay: Still. The Mission Gallery, Swansea. National Touring Exhibition throughout Wales

    2009 Anne Gibbs, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Wales

    Selected Group Exhibitions:

    2026 RWA, 173 Annual Open, Bristol

    2026 Wales Contemporary, Milford Haven

    2025 ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London

    2025 Craeftwork, The Camden People’s Theatre window, London

    2025 Theatre of Objects, Turner House Gallery, Penarth, Wales

    2024 Significant Forms, Canfas Gallery, Cardigan, Wales

    2024 Joined up, Makers Guild Wales

    2023 Uncommon Beauty-Objects of Curiosity & Wonder, Makers Guild Wales

    2023 Cure 3, Bonhams, London

    2022 Without Borders, International Touring Exhibition - Wales, Kyoto, Nagoya, Venice

    2022 It’s the Thought That Counts, Aberystwyth Ceramics Centre

    2022 Lifting the Lid 2, University of South Wales

    2021 Awagami International Miniature Print Exhibition, Japan

    2021 Without Borders, Elysium Gallery, Swansea, Wales

    2020 Cure 3, Bonhams, London

    2020 A Language of Clay, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, UK

    2020 Lifting the Lid, Art Spot Korin Gallery, Kyoto, Japan

    2020 London Art Fair, Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London

    2019 Young Masters Prize 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London

    2018 Is It Useful? Unit Twelve Gallery, Stafford

    2018 Collect, represented by Ruthin Craft Centre, Saatchi Gallery, London

    2017 Gallery in the Box, Llantarnam Grange, Arts Centre, Wales

    2016 Sweet Gongs Vibrating, San Diego Arts Institute, USA

    2015 Award, British Ceramics Biennial, Stoke on Trent, UK

    2015 Fragile? National Museum Cardiff, Wales

    2015 The Sensorial Object, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff, Wales

    2015 Collect, represented by Ruthin Craft Centre, Saatchi Gallery, London

    2015 Welsh Connections, Ruthin Craft Centre, Wales

    2015 Oriel Queens Hall Gallery, Narbeth, Wales

    2014Oriel Davies Open, Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Wales

    2014 Fourteen, Llantarnam Grange, Arts Centre, Wales

    2014 Maker in Focus, The Mission Gallery, Swansea, Wales

  • 2024 - Mentoring service to graduate artists.

    2024 - Artist talk and demonstration. Cardiff School of Art & Design.

    2023 - Artist talk. Hereford College of Arts, BA Contemporary Design Crafts and BA Jewellery Design

    2019-2020

    Visiting artist, drawing/clay Masterclass, Criw Celf Denbighshire, Wrexham

    Tutor, clay workshops, Arts & Education Network: South East

    Mentor/tutor clay/print workshops, Inside Out Cymru, Blackwood

    2019

    Drawing/clay course, Criw Celf, Cardiff,Summer school ,Llanover Hall Art Centre, Cardiff

    2018-2019

    Tutor, clay workshops, Criw Celf, South East, Cwmbran

    Lecturer, tutorials and workshops, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff

    Visiting lecturer, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea

    2007-2019

    Tutor, tutorials, workshops, Coleg Sirgar, School of Art, Carmarthen

    2014-2018

    Visiting lecturer, tutorials, workshops, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff

    2012-2017

    Visiting tutor, Hereford College of Arts, Hereford, England

  • 2002-2004 MA Ceramics, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

    1997–1999 PGCE (FE) University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

    1991-1994 BA (Hons) Fine Art, First Class, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

    1990-1991 Foundation Certificate, Portsmouth College of Art & Design

  • 2023 Purchase Prize, The National Eisteddfod of Wales, Boduan

    2018 Gweithdy Gallery, St Fagan’s National Museum of History, Cardiff

    2015 Creative Wales Award, Arts Council of Wales, Research & Development

    2012 Gold Medal for Craft & Design, The National Eisteddfod of Wales, Cardiff

    2009 & 2010 Travel Awards to Philadelphia, USA, funded by Wales Arts International

    2009 Creative Wales Award, Arts Council of Wales, Research & Development

    2006 Creative Development Award, Arts Council of Wales

    2005 Selected for Third World Ceramic Biennale, Korea International Competition

    2004 Selected for First European Ceramic Competition, Athens, Greece

  • 2014 Design Wales Forum, Makers using Technologies, two-month residency, Cardiff

    2013 Heatherwick Studios, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, three-month residency, Wales

    2009 The Clay Studio, two-month residency, Philadelphia, USA

    2009 Cove Park, one-month residency, Scotland

  • 2023 National Museum Cardiff, Wales

    2017 Ceramic Gallery Aberystwyth, Wales

    2015 Carmarthen County Museum, Wales

    2014 National Museum Cardiff, Wales

    2009 The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, USA

    2005 Icheon World Ceramic Centre, Korea