Gaby Guz

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Biography
After a first degree in Experimental Psychology, followed by academic research, Gaby embarked on a career in Advertising. This did not satisfy her creative itch and specifically the need to make, which she has had since childhood.  
 
Gaby left her job and started potting seriously, firstly under the guidance of Mo Abdalla at Camden Arts Centre, and then on the Ceramic Degree Course at Harrow School of Art. Whilst bringing up her children, Gaby continued to make pots for her own pleasure when time allowed, and also took up life drawing.
 
In 2015, Gaby was invited to be Artist in Residence at the Charity WAC Arts where she exhibited both her drawings and her pots. This was to be the start of showing her work publicly. Since then, her work has been exhibited both in solo and joint shows by galleries, as well as in art fairs , such as The London Design Fair, Celebrating Ceramics, Ceramic Art Oxford, The Affordable Art Fair, The Open Art Fair and London Design Week. Her work is in a number of Private Collections both in the UK and abroad.
 
Since 2018 Gaby has been a member of the communal studios of Rochester Square in Camden Town, London.
 

Gaby throws her pots at the wheel. The challenge of taming the clay and the immediacy of 'growing' something between her fingers is addictive. The total immersion and focus required to be successful is an antidote to the rest of life's frantic multi-tasking.

 

For many years, Gaby has focused on 'Alternative Firing' techniques, and specifically that of Naked Raku and Saggar Firing. In both cases, the surface of the pot is unglazed, and the surface decoration is created using smoke in the case of Naked Raku; and smoke and a variety of metals, in the case of her Saggar Fired pots.

 

The end result combines chance with designed markings. Continual experimentation has increased her level of control, by enhancing her understanding of the influence of each component part of the firing. It has been crucial to understand how these interact with each other, as well as how they are affected by humidity and temperature.