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Ceramic Surgery: Artist explores what lies beneath the surface of popular crockery

If you've ever wondered what might happen if you could peel back a layer of a ceramic plate or mug, then artist Beccy Ridsdel is a ceramicist who loves to explore what lies beneath the surface of traditional floral dinnerware. But are the revealed layers real, or deliberately placed there to form a unique piece of art?

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White ceramic plate split open with decorative floral pattern visible inside, flanked by ornate metal surgical implements on grey background

Explaining her thought process behind the series, Beccy said: "The installation takes the form of an observation of a surgical experiment in progress. The ‘surgeon’ is dissecting the craft object to see what is within. He finds craft through and through. He tries the experiment again and again, piling up the dissected work, hoping to see something different but it is always the same."

Beccy studied Contemporary 3D Crafts at the University of York achieving a first class honours degree in 2008. Since then she has taught ceramics and kiln formed glass and has exhibited her own work both in the UK and internationally as well as been featured in several prestigious art journals. Beccy currently teaches part-time at York College and enjoys being in her own workshop making ceramics for exhibition and private collections. Find out more at www.beccyridsdel.co.uk.

Via BoredPanda | All images courtesy of Beccy Ridsdel

A ceramic plate with hand-painted flowers layered in sections, revealing the white interior beneath the decorative surface, alongside a paintbrush with metal handle
Beccy Ridsdel's ceramic sculpture showing peeled-back layers of a decorative plate with floral patterns in blue, red and pink against a pale blue rim
Deconstructed ceramic plates and vessels with floral patterns, revealing white ceramic layers beneath the surface as if dissected
Split and dissected ceramic plates with floral patterns revealing colourful layers beneath the surface, displayed alongside surgical tools
White ceramic cup and saucer with painted rabbits and flowers, showing a peeled-back section revealing colourful floral pattern underneath
A ceramic plate with floral decoration on the rim is carved and peeled back to reveal white layers underneath, with a metal tool positioned vertically through the centre
A cream and white ceramic plate and mug with painted pink and red flowers, with the mug's handle peeled back to reveal the cream-coloured interior layer beneath the white surface glaze
White ceramic mug with floral decoration and peeled-back layers, accompanied by surgical scissors on a white surface
White ceramic teacup and saucer with floral decoration peeled back to reveal contrasting blue and red floral patterns beneath the surface
White ceramic bowl with floral decoration peeled back to reveal layers of the vessel, displayed on patterned fabric
Collection of hand-painted ceramic plates and bowls with floral designs, some with peeled-back layers revealing multiple decorative surfaces underneath
Stack of ceramic plates with floral designs in pink, yellow and blue, each layer peeled back to reveal the decorated surfaces beneath
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