Valentine Clays was delighted to attend the Staffordshire University GradEx Degree Show last Friday as proud material sponsors, celebrating the next generation of ceramic and creative talent.
GradEx showcases the outstanding work of final-year students across a range of creative disciplines, including the MA Ceramics and BA (Hons) Product, Furniture & Ceramics courses. This year's exhibition demonstrated an exceptional breadth of creativity, technical skill and innovation, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who attended.
As part of our sponsorship, Valentine Clays had the privilege of selecting a number of award winners from the exhibiting students. However, choosing our favourites proved to be no easy task.
The standard of work throughout the exhibition was exceptionally high, with students presenting thoughtful, ambitious and beautifully executed projects. From contemporary ceramic practice to innovative design concepts, the quality and diversity of the work made the judging process incredibly challenging.
After much deliberation, we were pleased to present three special awards to students from the MA Ceramics course and one award to a student from the BA (Hons) Product, Furniture & Ceramics course.
Gold Award – Amy Swift
Amy describes herself as an unconscious resident of what she calls "The Fertile Void" – a place of darkness and anxiety, but also one of unyielding creativity and infinite possibility. Her work remains within that void, with each piece acting as a manifestation of pure potential, emerging from uncertainty and the unknown. The depth of concept and emotional resonance within her work made it a standout exhibition.
Silver Award – Ange Hull
Drawing on the Japanese notion of mushin – a state of mind free from conscious thought or judgement – Ange creates a collection of gestural expressions in clay. The touch of the human hand works in dialogue with nerikomi porcelain to produce bold combinations within landscapes of curiosity. Saturated bright colours meet neutral blacks and whites, while light and shadow play across incidental forms, resulting in work that feels both intuitive and highly considered.
Bronze Award – Matt Whiting
Matt explores the expressive potential of clay through the playful use of form, colour and glaze. Central to his practice is a celebration of joy, experimentation and trial and error. His engaging pieces invite curiosity and connection, while his commitment to developing and producing his own glazes adds another layer of craftsmanship and individuality to the work.
BA (Hons) Product, Furniture & Ceramics Award – Shamikha Malik
Shamikha specialises in ceramic objects for the home, drawing on her British Bangladeshi heritage to explore cultural storytelling through materiality, surface and form. Her award-winning side table takes inspiration from the mango – a symbol of heritage, growth and sustenance. Using slip casting and sgraffito techniques, she translates traditional woven patterns into carved surface details, creating a piece that beautifully balances contemporary design with personal and cultural narrative.
Each recipient received a Valentine Clays voucher to support their future ceramic practice and creative development.
Supporting emerging makers is something we are passionate about, and it was a privilege to recognise the talent, dedication and hard work displayed by this year's graduates. We look forward to following the careers of these promising artists and seeing where their creative journeys take them next.
The Staffordshire University GradEx exhibition remains open until Saturday 6th June, both online via the GradEx Portal and on campus. We would highly recommend a visit to anyone interested in ceramics, design and contemporary creative practice.
Congratulations to all of the graduating students on an outstanding exhibition, and thank you to Staffordshire University for inviting us to be part of such a special event.