Julie Massie

After many years of teaching art in secondary schools and with her passion for ceramics she embarked on a MA Ceramics course at UCA Farnham, which she completed in 2016. Throughout her MA Julie Massie took her inspiration for her artwork from the Jurassic Coastline which is a beautiful, interesting and internationally important place because of it’s fragility. Coasts are a product of erosion and without the sea eroding the land we would not have a coast at all. Julie Massie has taken inspiration for her work from the fragile edges of waves breaking onto the coastline. Strong and destructive waves are the primary shapers of the coastline and usually occur in the winter when the sea is cold and grey, intermingled with blues. These colours are reflected within her final outcomes. Her work also explores the senses, especially touch, sight and sound. Physical touch is the fundamental element of human development and culture and she enjoys watching people’s reactions when they touch her work. What does it feel like, what does it sound like or will it break? Massie was selected for COLLECT17 by the Crafts Council, which was held at the Saatchi Gallery in London. As part of COLLECT she created an installation of panels made up of ceramic tiles with fragile edges which represent the beauty and importance of this eroding landscape by the sea. The audience were invited to walk between the panels so that their senses become submerged with the artwork. Massie’s other ceramic work continues to reflect the same themes. All her work is wall based and are either shards of stained porcelain that are framed or tiles that are stitched onto canvas to create wall hangings.