26 September 2026 – 10 January 2027

A collaborative project between ceramicist Claudia Lis and composer/sound designer Barry Edwards.

“With my project ‘TonRaum’ (German for ‘Clay/Sound Space’) I set out to create a body of exhibition work in form of still-life arrangements, consisting of wheel-thrown vessels embedded into a soundscape of complementary musical compositions based entirely on recordings of sounds intrinsic to my ceramic making process.

Throughout the project, I have been working together with composer and sound designer Barry Edwards in jointly recording all sounds of my work in the studio environment -from the fierce roaring of my gas-fired kiln to the almost imperceptible sliding of hands over wet clay- thereby bringing the audible traces of my creative practice to the forefront as catalyst for me to make subtle new connections with my familiar materials, tools and processes.

Barry’s compositional work, which gradually evolved parallel to my ceramics in an interlocking, cross-genre process of mutual observation and inspiration, adds a new sonic dimension to my tranquil scenes of inter-related shapes, telling in a subliminal way the audible story of their making.”

Claudia trained as studio potter in 90s Germany before moving to the U.K. in the context of the EU-funded ‘Leonardo Da Vinci’ scheme. She worked for the following 7 years as personal assistant to Rupert Spira.

Since the launch of her studio in 2004 her work has been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions in the U.K., Europe, U.S.A. and Japan. Claudia is a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association (CPA) and a selected member of the CAA. She received the Arts Council of Wales Creative Wales Award in 2012/13. Her work is included in the late Tony Birks Ceramics Collection held in trust for the Nation by the Sainsbury Centre For Visual Arts in Norwich. An accompanying 2021 publication Encounters with Ceramic – The Writings of Tony Birks is on display as part of this exhibition at Ruthin Craft Centre

“Lis is an example of an artist whose ceramics can be put to use, but can also stand alone as fine objects. She avoids repeat ware by making sure that there is a variation in the families of forms. She likes to see them displayed in groups, which invites comparison with Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, but such is the intensity of the creative effort that there is no mistaking her work for that of anyone else.” - Tony Birks

Curated by Gregory Parsons

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26 Medi 2026 – 10 Ionawr 2027

Project ar y cyd rhwng yr artist cerameg Claudia Lis a’r cyfansoddwr/dylunydd sain Barry Edwards.

“Gyda fy mhroject ‘Tonraum’ (yr Almaeneg am ‘Gofod Clai/Sain’) fy amcan oedd creu corff o waith i’w arddangos ar ffurf trefniannau bywyd llonydd, yn cynnwys llestri wedi’u taflu ar droell wedi’u hymblannu mewn seinwedd cyfansoddiadau cerddorol ategol sy’n llwyr seiliedig ar recordiadau seiniau sy’n greiddiol i fy mhroses o greu gwaith cerameg.

Drwy gydol y project rwyf wedi bod yn cydweithio â’r cyfansoddwr a’r dylunydd sain Barry Edwards yn recordio ar y cyd holl seiniau fy ngwaith mewn amgylchedd stiwdio – o ruo ffyrnig fy odyn nwy i lithro bron annirnadwy dros glai gwlyb – ac o ganlyniad yn dwyn olion clywadwy fy ymarfer creadigol i’r blaen fel catalydd er mwyn i mi gael gwneud cysylltiadau cynnil newydd gyda fy neunyddiau, offer a phrosesau cyfarwydd.

Mae gwaith cyfansoddi Barry, a esblygodd yn raddol ochr yn ochr â’m gwaith cerameg mewn proses gyd-blethedig, draws-genre o gyd arsylwi ac ysbrydoli, yn ychwanegu dimensiwn sonig newydd at fy ngolygfeydd tawel o siapiau cyd-gysylltiedig, gan adrodd mewn ffordd is-drothwyol hanes clywadwy eu creu.”

Hyfforddodd Claudia fel crochenydd stiwdio yn yr Almaen yn y 90au cyn symud i’r DG yng nghyd-destun y cynllun ‘Leonardo Da Vinci’ a gyllidwyd gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Gweithiodd am y saith blynedd ganlynol fel cynorthwyydd personol Rupert Spira.

Ers lansio ei stiwdio yn 2004 cafodd ei gwaith ei gynnwys mewn nifer o gyhoeddiadau ac arddangosfeydd yn y DG, Ewrop, UDA a Japan. Mae Claudia yn Gymrawd y Craft Potters Association ac mae hi’n aelod dethol o oriel Contemporary Applied Arts yn Llundain. Derbyniodd Ddyfarniad Cymru Greadigol Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn 2012/13. Mae ei gwaith wedi’i gynnwys yng Nghasgliad Gwaith Cerameg y diweddar Tony Birks a ddelir mewn ymddiriedolaeth dros y genedl gan y Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts yn Norwich. Caiff cyhoeddiad cysylltiedig Encounters with Ceramic – The Writings of Tony Birks 2021 ei gynnwys yn rhan o’r arddangosfa hon yng Nghanolfan Grefft Rhuthun.

“Mae Lis yn enghraifft o artist y gellir rhoi ei gweithiau cerameg at iws, ond sydd hefyd yn gallu sefyll ar eu pennau eu hunain fel gwrthrychau cain. Mae hi’n osgoi llestri sy’n ail-adrodd drwy sicrhau bod amrywiaeth yn y teuluoedd o ffurfiau. Mae hi’n hoffi eu gweld yn cael eu harddangos mewn grwpiau, sy’n gwahodd y gymhariaeth â Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, ond cymaint yw dwysedd yr ymdrech greadigol fel nad oes modd camgymryd ei gwaith hi am waith unrhyw un arall.” - Tony Birks

Curadwyd gan Gregory Parsons

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