Tamsin van Essen is a British designer based in London. A graduate of the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins, she specialises in conceptual design and has recently been using the medium of ceramics to explore scientific, medical and social historic themes. Material experimentation is a strong characteristic of her work, probing how the material qualities of ceramics can be altered through unusual additions, and creative intervention into standard industrial and craft production processes. Her work sits at the interface between art and design, with one-off collectables and conversation pieces.
Awards:
2014: Crafts Council Parallel Practices Residency
2013: JCVA Residency Award, Tel Aviv + Jerusalem
2013: Craft Pottery Charitable Trust Award
2013: Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon Nomination
2012: David Canter Memorial Award
2007: Wellcome Trust Design for Science Prize (second prize)
2006: Chartered Society of Designers Student Design Award
2006: William Atkinson Scholarship, Central Saint Martins
Coverage in Books:
'The Workshop Guide to Ceramics' Duncan Hooson & Anthony Quinn, Thames & Hudson 2012
'The Pot Book' Edmund de Waal, Phaidon 2011
'Design & Design Book of the Year (Vol. 2)' Index Books 2009
'Fragiles: Porcelain, Glass & Ceramics' R. Klanten, S. Ehmann, S. Grill, Gestalten 2008
'Trends 2009/10' K. Tallon, Anova Books 2008
'Handled with Care: contemporary ceramic design' Designboom 2008
'Ceramic Design Course' A. Quinn, Thames & Hudson 2007