Pauline captures the shifting stages of women's life experiences in her depictions, commenting on womens changing roles in society.
Pauline Cumming, a talented Edinburgh-based artist, studied Drawing and Painting at Edinburgh College of Art under the guidance of renowned artists Elizabeth Blackadder and John Houston. After graduating in 1985, she embarked on an international journey, living in southern England before moving to the Netherlands and later Turkey, where she pursued a career in education while continuing to develop her artistic practice.
Pauline Cumming's Artistic Journey
Following her extensive teaching career across Turkey, The Netherlands, and Scotland, Pauline now dedicates herself fully to her ceramic practice. Her artistic repertoire spans drawing, painting, printmaking, and small-scale ceramics, with her work drawing inspiration from the natural and domestic world. Everyday objects, collected artifacts, and observations from her travels frequently appear in her creations, reflecting her diverse life experiences and international perspective.
The Distinctive Style and Influences
Her ceramic plates and pots are meticulously hand-built using white earthenware and stoneware, showing clear influences from blue and white 17th century Delftware. Pauline regularly returns to Utrecht to acquire her distinctive palette of Delft blue underglaze, maintaining an authentic connection to the Dutch artistic tradition that inspires her work. Additional influences come from 18th century Sevres porcelain, creating a rich historical foundation for her contemporary pieces.
Women's Narratives and Exhibition History
Pauline's current work focuses on playful themes of women's experiences and narratives. Her ceramic pieces depict strong women, often inspired by classical paintings, who reach out to viewers while dismissing any male gaze. These feminist themes are presented with humor and poignancy, capturing the shifting stages of women's life experiences from motherhood to menopause and beyond. After years of professional restraint as a deputy headteacher, she now embraces the freedom to express herself authentically through her art.