Carved Vessel, 1973

Jacqueline Poncelet studied ceramics at Wolverhampton College of Art and the Royal College of Art and was a major figure on the international ceramic scene in the 1970s and 80s. In the early 1990s, she diversified her practice to include painting, sculpture and public art commissions. In 2000, Poncelet was one of the three curators of the British Art Show and collaboration has become an increasingly important part of her work. She was responsible for designing ‘Wrapper’, the vitreous enamel cladding at Edgware Road station (the largest of its kind in Europe) and also collaborated with Tate and Melin Tregwynt woollen mill to create a homeware range inspired by her home in the Welsh Valleys.

Poncelet has lectured at a number of institutions, including the Royal College of Art and the University of Brighton, and has exhibited her work internationally in numerous solo and group shows.

“As an artist I have become increasingly difficult to categorise. I established myself as a major figure on the international ceramic scene in the 1970s and 80s. Then in the 90s I diversified my practice to include painting, sculpture and public art commissions, ending the decade as one of the three curators of the British Art Show.

My personal passion is for pattern and colour. I do not have a minimalist aesthetic. I believe that complexity can enrich our lives but should not overwhelm us. Each element within a composition should add to the overall experience.”