Carol Sinclair - Colour, Place and Making
Yarn Cone Vases, 2026
As a Selected Member of the Craft Potters Association and Contemporary Applied Arts, Carol Sinclair regularly exhibits in their London galleries. She is a Professional Member of Visual Arts Scotland and the Society of Scottish Artists, and a founding member of Applied Arts Scotland’s Closing the Loop Group, which champions environmentally responsible making practices.
Carol is a recipient of the Inches Carr Established Maker Award and was Inaugural Visual Art Scotland Maker of the Year in 2026.
Carol Sinclair Studio photos by Lydia Smith, 2026
Bernat Klein’s colours were part of my formative years as a child growing up in Edinburgh. I would gaze through the windows of Klein’s George Street Showroom, mesmerised by vivid colour combinations, turquoise with lime, reds with orange, unexpected colours placed together with joy and confidence. They became part of my visual vocabulary and have stayed with me since then.
Flame Teardrop Vases, 2026
“Working with the Bernat Klein Foundation has given me the opportunity to return to those colours, not to reproduce them, but to explore what happens when I seek to capture the qualities of Bernat Klein’s textiles in porcelain.”
Vessels, 2026
As a graduate of Ceramics from Gray’s School of Art, my own practice has developed and is now based on slab-built porcelain and coloured porcelain inlay. I am fascinated by how a very small amount of colour can transform an entire surface. In this collection inspired by Klein’s textiles, I have explored his colour relationships alongside the physical qualities of the textiles: loops and twists of yarn have been combined with the lines of the landscape to become marks of place and identity within the porcelain.
Margaret Klein’s contribution as the creative force behind the knitwear arm of the business has also been an inspiration. Investigating the construction of the garments I was particularly interested in the way a cellular, knotted structure could create such a strong sense of visual volume. A precise arrangement yet a relatively little amount of material. That way of thinking has stayed with me. It resonates with my own approach to making: how much can be achieved through the careful placement of small elements rather than simply adding more material?
Tube Vases, 2026
“I am interested in using materials thoughtfully, reclaiming what would otherwise become waste, and creating maximum visual impact from relatively small quantities of coloured porcelain. ”
I have used reclaimed porcelain to create one-off colour combinations that cannot be repeated. I like this idea of allowing the material’s history to be expressed rather than trying to make every piece identical.
Knitwear production has also informed the shape of my new conical vases created for this collection using discarded yarn cones as formers. An object associated with the production of textile yarn has become part of the making process for a new material object, bringing textiles and ceramics together.
Carol Sinclair, 2026
Since moving from Edinburgh to Angus my practice is now firmly rooted in a rural setting. This collection reflects the daily inspiration that comes from the colours and textures of the land. Visiting the Bernat Klein Studio and his home High Sunderland, I was reminded how powerful that combination of place, material and hand making is in creating something distinctive.
“I am not trying to recreate those colours but capture what experiencing them taught me about seeing — and what the work of both Bernat and Margaret Klein can teach us about place, material, structure and making with intention.”
Having the opportunity to place my work on the iconic wooden shelves at High Sunderland felt like a conversation across time, and a wonderful way to express my thanks for those formative colour inspirations.
The Bernat and Margaret Klein inspired collection by Carol Sinclair is now available to view on our Shop - https://bernat-klein-foundation.myshopify.com/collections/ceramics
For further information on Carol Sinclair’s ceramic collection please email info@sinclairwilson.co.uk
