Ciara’s process begins with a reimagining of the everyday and the objects within it. She often works collaboratively with others to make participatory installations, sharing skills of Nerikomi and slab-building.

Nerikomi is a Japanese technique traditionally involving the layering of different coloured, naturally found clays, to form detailed patterns which are pieced together.

Ciara takes a contemporary approach to this technique, adding modern body stains to white stoneware clay to achieve bright, bold colours. She layers these to create blocks of expressive, playful patterns. From these blocks she cuts slabs, which are rolled out and manipulated to create her work. Her work is finished with a shiny transparent glaze - all the colour and pattern comes from the clay itself - with gold lustre for added extravagance and fun.

For her homeware, these slabs are used directly, allowing the pattern to build the entire object. For her furniture works, she laminates these patterns over a grogged stoneware, which enables her to build on a larger scale.

If cracking does occur, Ciara uses another technique, Kintsugi, to fix what is necessary. She believes that cracking doesn’t affect the value of an object, rather it is a part of its history and the process of making. By spending time repairing work, she brings sustainability and appreciation into her practice.