Beneath the Surface

About Beneath the Surface

This contemporary ceramic vessel is by Paula Murray.

Before Paula Murray creates a new piece she thinks about how the emotion she is trying to express can appear as a form in porcelain. The Canadian award winning artist is highly regarded as a fine ceramicist who has worked for decades to perfect her craft. With each piece, hand formed from a special clay mixture she makes herself; Murray is attempting to convey a story. The elegant organic form of this subtle crimson-coloured vessel displays her signature—fine craquelure or ruptures of the surface defined by a darker colour inside, adding subtle texture and definition outside. Paula Murray’s work is intended to reflect the deeply spiritual connection she feels exists between humans, culture, and the natural world.

“I am particularly drawn to what is unseen: the histories, emotions, and energies embedded in objects and spaces. By working in harmony with natural elements like heat, gravity, and time, I allow my pieces to hold traces of transformation, revealing both the visible and the invisible layers of human experience.” Paula Murray

“Murray considers that each piece brings a unique opportunity to the table. She enters into dialog with her vessels–listening to what they offer up, and responding with gentle and considered interventions.” Heidi McKenzie, Ceramics Monthly Magazine

Paula Murray was born in Ottawa and studied science at the University of Ottawa and ceramics at Sheridan College. Elected to the International Academy of Ceramics (2017) and the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts (2006), she has based her full-time studio practice in Meech Lake, in Gatineau Park, since 1980.
Exhibiting in prestigious exhibitions in Canada, Italy, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Portugal, Romania and the USA, she has received several awards and creation grants. In 2021, Paula Murray was awarded one of the highest honours granted by the Quebec government in recognition of an exceptional career in the arts—the Prix d’excellence from le Conseil des métiers d’art du Québec. In 2022, she received the Kito Prize at the Jingdezhen International Ceramics Biennale in China.

Public collections include the World Korean Ceramic Foundation Museum, Yingge Ceramic Museum, Taiwan, Museum of Ceramics, Faenza, Italy, Canada House, London, UK, and in Canada, the Gardiner Museum, Museum of History, and Art Bank.