Ursula Mommens (1908–2010): Studio Potter

Abstract

Drawing on information and memories gathered from the unpublished memoir and recorded oral history of studio potter Ursula Mommens, this article will explore the earlier part of her extended career. Although women had long held roles in the production of industrial ceramics, Ursula Mommens was one of the first generation of women to receive formal training in the production of handmade pots and in successfully exhibiting them, helped to demonstrate that women were capable of mastering form, as well as colour and decoration. This article will situate her among some of the major proponents of studio pottery in Britain during the interwar period and contextualise her artistic practice in the light of differing factions and approaches to handmade ceramics. Most importantly, it will celebrate the work of this determined woman artist, who fashioned her own place in the ever-evolving arena of studio pottery in Britain.