The Artist
About
Ceramic artist Jacqueline Leighton Boyce creates non-functional pieces shaped by clay, surface, illustration, and the fragile beauty of the living world.
Who I am
Environmental Ceramic Artist Rooted in Clay and Nature
I create handbuilt, non-functional ceramic forms inspired by natural textures, seasonal rhythms, and quiet forms of life. Each piece is shaped intuitively and coloured in response to change, memory, and atmosphere.
My work celebrates nature’s beauty while quietly acknowledging its fragility, inviting viewers to pause, look closely, and reconnect with the environment.
My ceramics explore the relationship between clay, memory, landscape, and ecological loss. Marks, slips, glazes, and illustration build surfaces that feel alive, weathered, and quietly expressive. Many forms reflect a concern for vulnerable species, protected habitats, and the delicate environments that continue to shape my visual language.
I work mainly on commissions for galleries, including Petersham Nurseries in Richmond, London, and Nilaya Anthology in Mumbai, while also accepting private commissions from clients around the world.
Qualifications
1992 – 93
Post Graduate Ceramic Design (Researching the use of Ceramic Illustration)
Central St Martins School of Art
1989 – 92
BA (Hons) Degree in Ceramic Design – 1st Class
Central St Martins School of Art
Process & Technique
The clay
speaks for itself
It has always been important to me that viewers of my ceramics are left knowing without a doubt that my work is very definitely made from clay — I wish to demonstrate an overall rawness and immediacy. In short, I like the clay to show itself.
Technically, I work as an earthenware ceramist firing to temperatures no higher than 1080°C. I most commonly use red terracotta. The surfaces of my work are created by multilayering and then drawing by sgraffito.
I then usually fire each piece at least three times by oxidation, creating layers of colour and illustration using slips, underglazes, glazes, and finally lustres. All my work is hand built and every piece I make is original.
Practice & Inspiration
As an environmental ceramic artist, my practice has developed through a long attention to material, surface, and the living details that often sit at the edge of notice. I am drawn to plants, insects, animals, marks, fragments, and seasonal changes, not as decoration alone, but as a way of thinking about care, loss, beauty, and attention. The forms I make are not functional vessels in the usual sense. They are objects that hold atmosphere, memory, and a sense of the fragile relationship between people, clay, and the more-than-human world.
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Stockists & Galleries
Where to find my work
Richmond, London
Petersham Nurseries
Church Lane, Off Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7AG
Mumbai, India
Nilaya Anthology
A curated space for design, craft, and contemporary art.
Worldwide
Private Commissions
Commissions are accepted from clients anywhere in the world. Learn more →
Online
Direct Sales
Occasional works are available for direct purchase. Join the mailing list →