Viewing Room 09: Paintings by Claire Cansick and new ceramic sculpture by James Evans

Claire Cansick 

Born in Great Yarmouth 1971 Claire received her BA (Fine Art) from Norwich University of the Arts 1996 

Claire’s work is inspired by nature and its offer of escape, as a recoil to the concrete town from whence she came. Paintings which map her journey are inspired by a deep concern for the natural world, where she plays with themes of self, connecting the land and sea to her own emotive responses. Representation of land and sea sometimes embody various metaphorical content, whether snakes, skeletons, faces or shadows, or elemental themes of fire, flood and wind, these act to look deeper into the artist’s psyche and her place in the world.

Claire exhibited at Sainsbury Centre in early 2025 for Visual Arts in Norwich, Cold Paradise in Scotland, showed at Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2022, and had solo exhibitions at Chappel Galleries, Gallery East, The Old School Gallery and Firstsite. She lives and works within the Norfolk Broads National Park.

Statement 2026

"After years of deliberation, painting the sea quickly became more than an attempt to convey moving water while expressing my adoration for the North Sea. It continues to act as a conduit for multi-layered themes, such as non self, fear, reverence, and a general sense of unease at the state of the world.

I like to have duality in a painting, an uncomfortable perspective, a shadowy figure, a shadow fleet ship, give way to flowing patterns, soft shifts in colour, and the calm quiet dawn, which gently soothe. My use of diptychs feeds into this idea, challenging me to think about both sides of a whole, considering symmetry, and also the disruption of it, sometimes in the same piece of work.

These dual truths speak of my experience of this body of water, as well as our more widespread relationship with nature and the climate crisis.

James Evans

"For this exhibition I wanted to consider the language of the material and create the right conditions for the material to sing. I want it to be a collaborative engagement between myself and clay, but for me to take the backseat a little more than usual. When composing a piece there is a dance between my vision and clays persuasive nature, and it’s easy to ignore and erase the materiality in trying to achieve one’s goals. So, I’ve been listening, playing and having fun. There is another relationship at play here and that is the union of the glaze embracing the form. I don’t usually fire to stoneware, but the fusion at these high temperatures creates a singular form. With the form in mind, I avoid direct representation, I prefer to suggest. Taking references from human form, architecture and historical ceramic processes. A recent visit to the V&A museum had a particular resonance with me. I have always been drawn to the fluid glazes on the Chinese figurines and the majestic sculptural horses, and for these pieces I have taken a cue from these masters in recreating a similar deliquesce finish. In doing so I wish to create lively forms and rich surfaces that invite a haptic gaze."

James completed a BA Honours degree at Central St. Martins in London. Tutored by Rob Kessler, Richard Slee and Gillian Lowndes another transformation occurred.  No longer on course to be a potter in St. Ives.  The work completed on the course enabled James to get a full scholarship to study at Colorado University in Boulder, USA.  The college was at the base of the foothills to the Rockies, and cycling, skiing and bouldering were great distractions.

On returning to England in 1990 James got a teaching post as Artist in Residence and exhibited in Copenhagen. This show lead to his first solo show at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde, Denmark.  At the end of the residency he started up his studio in South London.  From here James was chosen by the curator Tessa Peters to be included in a show at the Barbican Centre called “Atlantic Crossings”.  He was subsequently shortlisted for the prestigious Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2001 and the Arts Foundation Fellowship in 2004.  From here James was to have his first London solo exhibition with Gallery Cosa and represented them for three years at COLLECT.  James has since taken part in numerous group shows, including; Award at Potteries Museum & Art Gallery (2011), Stoke-on-Trent; Ripe at the Crafts Council (2000) Solo exhibitions include; Abugation, Marsden Woo Project Space (2012); Galerie Sandra Buergel (2007); and Hypoplastic at Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham (2002). His work is also represented in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.  Presently and since 2000, James has been generously supported by Marsden Woo gallery, and been included numerous group exhibitions alongside many of his tutors listed above. new about these ancient roads, hedgerows, open fields and woodlands.