Kim Colebrook 

 

Based in Abergavenny, Kim has worked in the heritage and tourism sectors across the UK for almost 30 years. Through this time her passion for telling the stories of South Wales and the people that drove the Industrial Revolution across the world has heightened as her knowledge about the area’s history and geology has increased. This professional passion has now been combined with her new love, ceramics. 

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Kim studied for Contemporary Design Crafts BA at Hereford College of Arts. She tried many media, her passion is ceramics, and in particular, porcelain. She then went on to study Ceramics MA at Cardiff Met University.

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The layered porcelain in the pieces in this exhibition are inspired by the geology of the South Wales Coalfield; the layers are pressed, distorted and cut just like the layers of the coal measures. The clay is also an analogy for the way that community memories are hidden, often buried deep into the past, or distorted as they are remembered and shared.

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In her practice, she aims to incorporate texture and narrative, often creating very simple forms that will carry the intended message. Kim seeks to combine her professional interests with her ceramics, developing a narrative about the natural assets that gave this area the opportunity to lead the world. She also explores historical events, such as the Aberfan Disaster, which is the topic that she explored for her graduate show.

 

Kim's work is hand built or cast, integrating textures, colours and oxides. The narrative may be developed within a single vessel, or by combining numerous elements for wall displays or installations.​

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