About
Lowell Alpin grew up in Highgate North London, after a Btec in Highbury & Islington Art College studying 3D model making, fine art & textile design. He went on to work in the film industry as a sculptor, trained under the guiding eye of Neil Hedger for first 2 years and going out independently afterwards for 1½ years freelance.
Lowell specializes in creating unique and distinctive stoneware sculptures. Integrating power and ruggedness. They provide this questionable story on how they formed into such fragile yet broken, and aged moon-esque surfaced objects. Using a combination of stoneware course clays and different mixed slips, wood fibres, ash dust, bronze and lava brush on glaze.
Inspiration & Influences: Mountain landscapes, volcanic rock, travelling, Japanese ceramics, colour composition, chemical alchemy in the kiln, crystals, sea excavation, coral, abandoned shipwrecks, moon boulder/ debris, porosity, texture, bronze and highlighting natural elements through contrasting brush techniques.
Technique & process: All Lowell's sculptures are hand built so there is no sense of symmetry, much like the Japanese pots, they go through multiple firings and convey an aged finish. He enjoys the layering of glazes as well as the way volcanic rock melts organically on a piece providing a sporadic unpredictability ‘nature running its course’ so to speak.
“ I aim for my objects that I form to have pure rawness; painting and poring on glazes often not knowing outcome is where the excitement all breads from''.
Textures: abrasive and smooth, Matt and Gloss, raw unglazed clay, sharp edges, scratched and scored.
“I believe over time a passion of sculpture and ceramics of my own, separate from the film started to grow leading to a career change; then in 2024 I decided to find a studio and begin. This new collection “Lucidity of Calypso” comprises of 9 multi-material ceramic sculptures, highly inspired by sea excavation and volcanos. I spent time in Bali, Indonesia after becoming yoga teacher in 2024; spending my time in white sandy Uluwatu, was fundamental into resetting my creative narrative truly catalysing these objects into fruition. Once returned to London I begun this collection that really took shape in such an organic manner. I took the time to experiment and understand what I really wanted to convey through my work. In this I wanted there to be some essence of flow developing through all of these earthly elements, as well as spiritual aspects integrated into the hardware of my pieces. Fast forwarding to 2025, after this body of work completion I returned to Bali, Indonesia to extend my research, from a London studio apartment, all the way to the bottom of a mount Agung or seabed. this journey has been rigorous, and I still face trying times, but it's exhilarating and fulfils something deep within me” - Lowell Alpin