A tribute to ceramic artist Meryl Till

Meryl Till, the Bristol-based maker known for her handmade ceramic lighting with richly textured surfaces, has died aged 55. She is survived by her partner Craig, her sister Marina and her mother Doreen.

Born in 1965 in Stoke-on-Trent, a city renowned for its pottery industry, Till developed a passion for ceramics after a night class opened her eyes to the creative possibilities of clay. She subsequently enrolled at Loughborough College of Art & Design, where she graduated with a BA (Hons) in Three-Dimensional Design in 1993. Perhaps it was only natural that Till gravitated to craft: her mother, Doreen, worked for many years as a gilder at Alfred Meakins Newfield Pottery and her grandfather loaded bottle kilns at Middleport Pottery. ‘Discovering clay as a medium completely captivated me, the material itself, the process, and the transforming qualities,’ said the artist.

For the past 25 years, Till called Bristol home. Alongside working from her studio in Totterdown, Till exhibited at institutions across the UK, among them The Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent and London’s V&A. She won several awards for her work, including the BT Newcomers Innovation Award, The Moorcroft Award at the Stoke Open and a Development Award from East Midlands Art. Still, she maintained a close link to the city she grew up in, visiting family and friends, and also sourcing her clay and glaze from local suppliers Valentine Clays and Potclays.

In 1991, Till began developing a lighting range that highlighted the translucent qualities of the porcelain clay body. In later works she began to layer coloured slips cut through with freehand designs, which allowed light to pass through a sgraffito pattern. In addition to her lighting, she also made a variety of handbuilt vases and vessels – some using coloured slips and the others with marbled clay.

The artist often drew inspiration from her surroundings: her Bristol collection depicted hot air balloons over the city and the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Another design was inspired by the stained glass panel in the chapel at the top of historic street Christmas Steps (she made her work in the shop opposite the chapel for 17 years). She worked in a purpose-built studio in her garden – built by her, no less – which was another source of inspiration for the organic plant motifs seen in her pieces. Till was also a voracious traveller and incorporated ideas from her trips to far-flung destinations into her work – Japan, Spain, Sri Lanka and Easter Island were among her favourite destinations. Her Andalusian collection, for example, stemmed from her love of the Moorish influence on the region in Spain.

‘If I had to choose something that reminded me most of Meryl, it would be her elegant pierced porcelain lamps – two of which I am lucky enough to own,’ says jewellery designer Emma Holden, who worked alongside Till at Makers, an artist-run shop and gallery on Colston Street in Bristol. ‘Meryl lit up the room with her bright, warm personality and her enthusiasm for not only her own work, but the work of her peers. She was a thoughtful, loyal and generous friend with mischief in her eyes and a very playful sense of humour.’

A much-admired member of Bristol’s making community, Till also sold her work through galleries around the country. ‘Meryl was one of our regulars and there was lots of love for her beautiful handmade porcelain lighting with decorative textured surfaces,’ remembers Dr Outi Remes, director of New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham. ‘Our collectors would acquire a piece but would soon return for another. Meryl was the master of translucent clay and creating special atmospheres – both in the gallery as well as at home.’

Caroline Wickham Smith, who runs Grasmere-based Beck Steps Gallery with her husband Matthew, happened across Till’s work by chance in Bristol. ‘Her skill was incredible and she produced the most wonderful, delicate shapes and colours. She was a very warm and friendly person, delighted to talk to us about the processes that went into making her porcelain ceramics,’ she reflects, speaking of Till’s happiness that her works would be exhibited in a Cumbrian gallery. ‘As a keen walker, it was a place close to her heart. Her porcelain lamps were stunning in our gallery’s windows – we all loved them. We feel honoured to have had her wonderful work in our gallery and will always think of her fondly.’

The Crafts Council is incredibly grateful to have received a generous donation of £2,000 plus Gift Aid in Meryl Till’s memory. The gift will support of the Let’s Craft appeal, which supplies art and craft materials to children in need across England. As part of her passion and commitment to craft, the artist was always keen to encourage children into creativity and spent many happy hours with her niece, Emelia, and with the children of her friends making clay vessels, painting and felting. Thanks to the gift that honours her memory, 250 children in need in the Bristol area will receive a Let’s Craft pack, so that they too can take full advantage of all the joy and wellbeing benefits that come with being creative.