Vessel Gallery presents a showcase by the British Ceramics Biennial headline exhibition Award 2025 finalist, Jo Taylor.
 
Taylor’s inspiration comes from highly decorative architectural features, such as ornate plaster ceilings, wrought iron and carved stone. Her admiration for the Rococo period is exemplified with her abundant & joyous use of ornamental decoration.

Living near the Georgian city of Bath provides Taylor with a rich visual resource. Regular visits to our larger cities such as Liverpool and London offer ornament that can be experienced on a grander scale, with their historic buildings such as the Sefton Park Palm House and the V&A. Further afield the architecture of Gaudi in Barcelona, the palaces of Potsdam and the Villa D'Este in Tivoli have all provided inspiration.

In her own words:

"My recent works have taken inspiration from the Rococo period, which was a unique point in history when artisans were allowed unprecedented artistic freedom; working against the formal rules of proportion and symmetry, where the decorative eclipsed the primary structure".

This idea of 'freedom of creativity' is central to Taylor's practice, whilst the works reference the historic, the outcomes are contemporary, combining various techniques (hand building, extrusion, sprigging, throwing on a potter’s wheel) to create each unique piece, often in the form of sculptural vessels.

Having worked as a ceramicist since 2005, it was during her MA at Bath Spa University in 2012, that Taylor developed her unique signature style. She has received numerous awards & bursaries and published her first book, Handbuilt Ceramics, commissioned by Crowood Press, with a 2nd due for publication in 2026. She has been featured in various publications including Ceramic Review (UK ) & Ceramics Monthly (US). In 2025 Taylor was one of ten selected finalists for the British Ceramics Biennial headline Award exhibition (selected from over 180 submissions). Her work has been widely exhibited in the UK, as well as in Europe & the US.

Artist portraits by Russell Sach.
Watch Jo Taylor’s BCB Award 2025 Film
Q&A with Angel Monzon, Vessel Gallery Director