Clarice Cliff

Key facts

Lived

1899–1972, British^[1]

Movement

• Art Deco

^[1]

Works held in

1 museum

Wikipedia

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• What is Clarice Cliff's most famous work?+

  While it is difficult to identify one single "most famous" work, Clarice Cliff is best known for her Art Deco^[1] ceramics, particularly those in the "Bizarre" range. Produced from 1928^[1], the Bizarre line is characterised by its bold colours and unusual, often abstract, designs. These pieces were hand-painted at the A. J. Wilkinson factory in Burslem, Staffordshire. Cliff's designs broke with convention, offering affordable, stylish ceramics to a broad market. Some of the popular patterns include "Crocus", a simple design of hand-painted crocuses, and "Appliqué", which featured stylised, geometric shapes. Other notable designs are "Fantasque", "Rhodanthe", and "Latona". The shapes of the pottery were also distinctive, with names such as "Conical", "Bonjour", and "Stamford". Cliff's work gained considerable attention during the 1930s, and it remains highly collectable. The Bizarre range, with its distinctive style, secured Cliff's place in the history of British^[1] ceramics.
• What should I know about Clarice Cliff's prints?+

  Clarice Cliff is best known for her ceramics, but like many artists, she may have produced prints using techniques such as woodblock printing. In printmaking, an "edition" refers to a set of identical prints made from the same block or blocks. Editions can be open (unlimited) or limited, depending on the artist's choice. The physical characteristics of a woodblock do not inherently restrict the number of prints. Thomas Bewick's wood engraving of Newcastle was printed 900,000 times. Artists typically mark each print with edition information, usually in pencil on the bottom margin. This includes the print number and the total edition size (for example, 12/25, meaning print number 12 from an edition of 25), the print title in the centre, and the artist's signature on the right. The proofing stage is critical in printmaking. It involves testing and correcting each block to fine-tune the balance of colour, eliminate unwanted marks, and decide on elements such as paper and ink. Artists may create numerous proofs, and the decisions made during this process can significantly affect the final print.
• What style or movement did Clarice Cliff belong to?+

  Clarice Cliff is associated with the Art Deco^[1] movement. By the 1930s, Cliff had become a sophisticated artistic trendsetter. Her work reflects a sense of fun consistent with the Art Deco age. She drew inspiration from modern fashion, French fashion illustrations, and, during the interwar years, Chinese and Japanese watercolour scroll paintings. Cliff began work as a lithographer at Wilkinson’s Royal Staffordshire Pottery in 1916^[1] and remained with the company until 1963. In 1927, she attended a two-month course at London’s Royal College of Art, courtesy of her employer. Upon her return, she established her own decorating studio at Wilkinson’s adjacent Newport Pottery. "Bizarre Ware" was introduced in 1928. The British^[1] pottery industry embraced Art Deco design after the Great War. The 1920s saw Cliff, Susie Cooper, and others rise to international prominence as artists. The uniquely British form of Art Deco that she created remained largely uncopied for many years. Art Deco decorating at Clarice Cliff ceased by 1940.
• What was Clarice Cliff known for?+

  Clarice Cliff was a ceramic artist and designer working in Staffordshire, England. She is best known for her Art Deco^[1] tableware and decorative items, which she produced from the 1920s into the 1960s. Cliff began her career in the pottery industry as an apprentice aged 13. She moved through various roles, learning modelling, painting, and gilding. By the mid-1920s, she was given her own studio at A. J. Wilkinson's Newport Pottery. There, in 1927^[1], she launched her "Bizarre" ware: hand-painted, brightly coloured geometric designs and stylised motifs on simple shapes. "Bizarre" ware was an immediate success, appealing to a younger, more modern clientele. Cliff's designs were innovative for their time, moving away from traditional floral patterns. She introduced new shapes, such as the conical sugar sifter and the Stamford teapot, and used bold colour combinations. During the 1930s, Cliff continued to produce "Bizarre" ware, alongside other ranges like "Appliqué" and "Fantasque". Her work became more sophisticated, incorporating airbrushing and more complex patterns. Production was interrupted by the Second World War, and after the war, tastes changed. Cliff adapted her designs, but her earlier Art Deco pieces remain her most popular and collected work.
• When did Clarice Cliff live and work?+

  Clarice Cliff (1899^[1]-1972^[1]) was a British^[1] ceramic artist and designer. She is best known for her Art Deco^[1] tableware. Cliff began her career in the pottery industry in 1916^[1]. She started as an apprentice at A. J. Wilkinson's factory in Burslem, one of the "Six Towns" that make up Stoke-on-Trent. By the early 1920s, she was studying sculpture and modelling at the Burslem School of Art. She also took a design course from Archibald Colclough (1887-1970^[1]), a Wilkinson's factory designer. In 1927, Wilkinson's gave Cliff her own studio. There, she decorated damaged, mass-produced pottery with simple, freehand patterns. These early designs, in colours such as orange, yellow, and green, were popular. Soon, she was given a team of painters to execute her designs on new shapes. Cliff's "Bizarre" ware, launched in 1928, was a commercial success. She became the art director at Wilkinson's and its sister company, Newport Pottery, in 1930. She continued to produce innovative designs throughout the 1930s, adapting to changing tastes. Production was scaled back during the Second World War. After the war, Cliff continued to work, but her designs became more conservative. She retired in 1963, following her marriage to Colclough.
• Where can I see Clarice Cliff's work?+

  Clarice Cliff's boldly decorated ceramics can be found in many public and private collections. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London holds several examples of her work, as does the Wedgwood Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, near where Cliff operated. Several pieces are also held by regional museums in the United Kingdom, such as the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, which has a substantial collection of British^[1] ceramics. Public auctions are another avenue for viewing, and potentially acquiring, examples of Cliff's designs. Bonhams and Christie's, for example, regularly feature her pieces in their decorative arts sales. Private galleries specialising in 20th-century decorative arts also often display and sell her work. These galleries can be found in major cities such as London and New York. Major museum websites often have online catalogues of their holdings, which can be a useful resource for researchers or those unable to travel.
• Where was Clarice Cliff from?+

  Clarice Cliff was born in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, on 20 January 1899^[1]. Stoke-on-Trent was the centre of the English pottery industry; it was known as "The Potteries". Cliff's father was a mould maker in a local factory. She began her career in the pottery industry at age 13. Her early jobs involved painting simple bands of colour on ware and training as a lithographer. These were decorative techniques used on ceramics. In the 1920s, Cliff was sent to the Royal College of Art in London and also took sculpture classes. By 1927^[1], she had her own studio at the A. J. Wilkinson factory in Burslem. Cliff's "Bizarre" ware, hand-painted with bold, simple designs, made her a household name. She became the art director of Newport Pottery and A. J. Wilkinson in 1930. Cliff's work helped to modernise the British^[1] pottery industry. She continued to design popular ceramics until her death in 1972^[1].
• Who did Clarice Cliff influence?+

  Clarice Cliff's influence is complex and multifaceted. While it is difficult to pinpoint specific individuals who directly emulated her style, her impact on the broader field of ceramics is evident. The discipline of ceramics has seen significant changes, particularly with the rise of experimental practices. Contemporary ceramicists explore diverse forms and concepts, moving beyond traditional studio pottery. This shift involves a greater engagement with sculptural ideas, impacting colour, material, space, and visual impact. Minimalist sculpture, for example, influenced the plainer ceramics of the 1990s, though this was also a reaction against the highly patterned surfaces of the 1980s. Artists such as Edmund de Waal have deliberately invoked minimalist ideologies in their work. De Waal's use of grouped works challenges the focus on a single object, instead emphasising the relationship between multiple pieces and the space they inhabit. This approach encourages viewers to consider the architectural context and question conventional notions of art.
• Who influenced Clarice Cliff?+

  Identifying specific influences on Clarice Cliff is challenging, but some general artistic movements and figures can be considered in relation to her work. The Bauhaus school, with its emphasis on the synthesis of art, craft, and technology, may have had an impact on Cliff's designs. The Bauhaus promoted simplified forms and abstraction, aiming to create a new aesthetic for the modern age. Paul Klee, who taught at the Bauhaus from 1922^[1], encouraged his students to develop their own styles, free from preconceptions. His approach of combining abstract and geometric elements with natural forms may resonate with aspects of Cliff's work. Other figures associated with the Bauhaus, such as Wassily Kandinsky and Anni Albers, explored similar artistic territory. The Arts and Crafts movement in Britain, which sought to revive traditional crafts and reject industrial production, may also provide a relevant context. Artists such as Walter Crane and William De Morgan were central figures in this movement.
• Who was Clarice Cliff?+

  Clarice Cliff (1899^[1]-1972^[1]) was a ceramic artist. Born in Tunstall, Staffordshire, she was one of eight children from a working-class family. She began her career as a lithographer at Wilkinson’s Royal Staffordshire Pottery in 1916^[1] and remained with the company until 1963. In 1927, Cliff's employer sent her to London’s Royal College of Art for a two-month course. Upon her return, she established her own decorating studio at the Newport Pottery, which was adjacent to Wilkinson’s. The artistic team of John Butler and Fred Ridgway oversaw her design and decorating training. Colley Shorter, the owner’s son, also provided encouragement; they married in 1940. Cliff conceived the Bizarre range in 1928. It rapidly grew into a modern line, which included patterns like Abstract and Banded. These were hand-painted, often using orange, yellow, green, and black, over a "honey" glaze on inexpensive earthenware. Designs by Dame Laura Knight date from 1932 to 1934. By 1940, Art Deco^[1] decorating at Clarice Cliff had ceased. She gained national recognition in the 1930s and is collected internationally.
• What was Clarice Cliff's art style?+

  By the 1930s, Clarice Cliff had matured from a working-class girl into a sophisticated artistic trendsetter. She drew from a wide range of influences, the main one being an innate sense of fun entirely consistent with the spirit of the Art Deco^[1] age; she was also influenced by modern fashion and couture, particularly French fashion illustrations.
• When was Clarice Cliff born?+

  Clarice Cliff was born in 1899^[1]. Clarice Cliff died in 1972^[1], aged 73.