Helen Ridgway MSDC

Ceramics

About Helen
Helen is a ceramicist with a professional background in the creative industries. Her sculptural work is inspired by the passage of time, waste, reuse and reflects her interest in vintage artifacts. She takes obsolete and discarded objects and puts them at the centre of her work, giving them a new lease of life. She also makes a range of functional platters that reflect her love of sharing food and time with family and friends.
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Helen's work explores memory, reuse, and transformation. She creates hand-built sculptural forms that are decorated with sprigs cast from found objects. The making process starts with thrown cylinders that are sliced into rings, altered and assembled into structures, to which the sprigs are added. Inspiration for the structures comes from a variety of sources, from micro-organisms to motorway junctions. Helen find's the process of assembling the structures particularly satisfying, and while she often has a sketch as a starting point it is thoroughly enjoyable to let go, play, and see what emerges

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Education

  • Richmond Business School, Level 3 Award in Education and Training, 2024
  • Richmond Art School, HNC Diploma in 3D Design: Ceramics (Distinction), 2019
  • Richmond Art School, Advanced Practice Ceramics, 2023
  • Liverpool University , BA Honours Economic History 2:1, 1986

Associations

  • London Potters Trustee, Co-Chair, Oct 2025- Present
  • London Potters Trustee., Exhibitions Office, Oct 2021 - Oct 2025
  • Craft Potters Association - Associate Member

Exhibitions

  • Artists at Home, 2025, Chiswick London
  • Wandsworth Artists Open Studios, 2025
  • Sparkle Festive Fair, 2025, 2024, 2023 Teddington, London
  • London Potters Members Exhibition, 2025, 2024, London (Received Judges Commendation)
  • Borough of Ealing Art Trail, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 Ealing, London
  • Landmark Spring Art Fair 2023, Teddington, London
  • Festival of Crafts 2022, Farnham Maltings, Surrey
  • Celebrating Ceramics 2022, 2021 Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire

Commissions

  • Sushi set for Eight – 44 pieces Dojo de Chateau, Paris
  • Employee long service awards – 10 pieces AxiCom, London
  • Bespoke Christmas Decorations – 300 pieces AxiCom, London
  • Wedding Favours – 200 pieces Leatherbarrow Family, Harrogate
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