Artist Diana Tonnison

From age of 14 I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer, and determined to go to St Martin's, which I did! I specialised in knitwear design and combined woven and knitted fabrics for my degree collection.

After college I had great opportunity to work with Missoni in italy, followed by designer Bill Gibb, (the influential 70's fashion designer), London, and subsequently worked in Hong Kong and New York as a designer. My wonderful education at St Martin's and then my career in fashion design, influences my work in ceramics today.

The principles of art and design are the same, its only the media that is different. After a fascination for ceramics since I was an art student, I launched my new ceramics business in 2007. I have gradually built up a sustainable market for my work and developed my own style and a new way to approach ceramic art. I was delighted to supply Liberty's for last two years and really felt I was achieving things when I won the Craft&Design Selected Magazine award in 2016.

These prints are images of my 3D sculptural ceramic and wood artworks, inspired by local fish, fruit and veg markets in this country and on my travels. The wood panels are handmade to my measurements using reclaimed wood so each item will have different textures and wood grain, this all adds to the character and individuality of the piece. I have high quality photography taken of my ceramics which are then digitally inject printed onto the panels, this means that the printing with go in most of the indentations and uneven surface of the wood. I have worked over two years with the printing company to refine my product. Once printed each are checked for quality and I embellish colour by hand if I feel the colour or details need to be strengthened or highlighted, again each are individual. I sign and number them on the reverse with the edition number on a small wood certificate. I add touches gold or silver lustre to fish eyes which give them a sparkle like freshly caught fish! So these are quite unique pieces of art and can easily be cleaned/dusted using a damp cloth lightly, they have a matt varnish for protection so are ideal for a kitchen or eating area as no glass to steam up! They can be placed outside covered area, but not in lots of direct sunlight or wind and rain, as wood may warp.