Esther Cohen Visual Art
Esther is a visual & teaching artist who works at Tantallon Studios. Graduating from The Glasgow School of Art with a BA in fine art, she then completed her masters degree at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (MFA) She also has a post graduate teaching qualification in further education (TQFE)
“I’m inspired by the ever changing skies over Edinburgh and East Lothian where I live and work. Using ceramic tiles and painting with coloured clay slip, the process of capturing the light and atmosphere of theses immense skies is contrasted by working on a very small surface area of an unglazed bisque tile. My aim is to translate the feeling of an ever changing sky into a series of works that aim to visually convey the different light, colour, atmospheres and moods created by the weather in Scotland.”
Specialising in producing highly individual hand painted ceramic tiles she also produces beautiful prints and cards from her ceramic designs.
Hand painted 72 tile installation with ceramic transfers.
Size: 89.5cm (H) x 177 cm (W) .
This was a commission for a fireplace for a beautiful home in North Berwick. The 6 x 12 rows of 72 tiles were laid out as one large panel and painted like a canvas laid flat. The tiles were then fired in an electric kiln up to 1100 degrees centigrade. Ceramic transfers were then applied. All the transfers were designed from my own photographs and printed by a company in Stock on Trent. The tiles were then fired again up to 800 degrees centigrade. thankfully not one cracked. (Due to the nature of the painting process, it is a one off process where if one tile is lost, the complete panel would have to be completely re-done. Therefore a highly risky process painting rather than using a more traditional repeat design, where tiles can be replaced if any were to be lost in the firing process.) The tiles were installed at a right angle and receded into a corner. The corner gave me the idea to paint a darker cloud behind the stove so the eye would naturally recede and give the impression of space. By varying the scale of the flying gannets I hoped to give an impression of flying into the image when sitting and seeing the tiles at eye level.
Splash backs and tile inserts for kitchens, bathrooms and fireplaces.
Tiles
Tiled Panels
Prints
Dishes
Trade Customers
How the stormy skies over the Bass Rock inspired Esther to paint one of her large ceramic tile panels during the winter storm of 2018.
See Esther’s work at The Bass Rock Pottery – our wee shop at the Studios
The Scottish Design Exchange, Ocean Terminal, Leith
Why Not ? North Berwick
The Found Gallery in Dunbar
Visual Art Scotland Membership
Catch up with latest news and follow her artistic adventures on Facebook at Esther Cohen Visual Art
You can also request a drawing class with her in her studio, or attend one at The National Galleries of Scotland or even try painting your own tiles at her Tile Painting Workshops