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Hanne Westergaard is a Danish ceramist, living and working in Sheffield, England. She was born in Denmark and trained at the prestigious Kunsthåndværkerskolen in Copenhagen (now The Danish Design School) before moving to the UK in the 1970s.

“Clay has been my medium for over 50 years. I have been potting since I first discovered ceramics, and have gone through different viewpoints about my work. I am influenced by Modernism. While at art school in Copenhagen I was taught that there are strict rules about what should and should not be made. I have mellowed over the years and can now allow myself to experiment with works I previously would not have considered making. But I feel a responsibility to be careful about what I make. The world is full of objects, and I do not want to add to that multiplicity unless I feel I have something worthwhile to say in doing so. I do not make as many pots as I used to, but perhaps I put more thinking into them.“

Hanne Westergaard is based at Yorkshire Artspace: Persistence Works in Sheffield. Her studio opens to the public once a year during Open Studios. At other times you can find her work at exhibitions and in galleries.