Unearthing the Goddess within

These photos were taken at a group art exhibition at ESPRONCEDA Institute of Art & Culture, Barcelona.

I first started sculpting primitive-style clay goddess sculptures back in 2019 – tiny ones that fit in the palm of your hand and large and rugged forms suspended from custom metal stands. And recently, I’ve been making medium-sized figures mounted on hardwood bases. These sculptures were born from my deep fascination with ancient art and the mysterious allure of prehistoric artefacts. I’m completely inspired by the art of our ancestors – the kind of work that feels like it carries stories from thousands of years ago.

I love creating sculptures that feel like they’ve just been excavated from an archaeological dig. There’s something magical about imbuing clay with that sense of ancient mystery. Interestingly, when I started studying prehistoric goddess figures more closely, I realised that the original makers were often incredibly skilled. Their attention to detail and stylisation wouldn’t look out of place in a contemporary gallery. It’s like I’m making art that might’ve been crafted by a cave girl, while they were making art that feels right at home in the 21st century.

The many uses of the ancient Goddess

The true purpose of those ancient goddess figures is still widely debated. Some say they were spiritual tools used in rituals — planted into the earth as offerings for abundance, fertility, or protection. That’s what I learned at art college, and it stayed with me. But I also love the idea that a child might have picked one up and played with it as a doll. Maybe they were part sacred, part everyday. Maybe they were self portraits? That ambiguity adds richness to their legacy – and to the ones I sculpt today.

Modern Goddesses in surreal surroundings

More recently, my goddesses have taken on a new role – they’ve begun appearing in the flowers of my surreal sculptures. These new pieces are quirky, symbolic, and full of flair. Each goddess is sculpted individually, shaped by intuition, as if she’s emerging through my hands with a life of her own. Some nestle into tulips, others perch atop open petals or are suspended in whimsical balance.

They’ve become a space for me to explore the full spectrum of femininity – not just the traditional ideals, but all the wild, theatrical, sensual, nurturing, and even contradictory aspects. I want to celebrate the fullness of womanhood – the softness and the strength, the humour and the mystery, the grounded and the divine.

Grounded in strength, balanced in form

Some of these goddesses have narrow, pointed feet that appear as if they’re about to topple – but don’t be fooled. My husband engineered a clever system using rods and bolts to anchor them firmly to their bases. It’s a collaboration of sorts: I bring the vision, and he brings the practical magic to hold it all in place. Each sculpture holds its own narrative, and sometimes the meaning only reveals itself after it’s complete. It’s as if they whisper their stories back to me.

A living series, still unfolding

This is my ongoing Goddess Series – and it continues to grow. I’m not sure how long this path will hold my curiosity, but for now, these figures keep arriving. I keep listening. Creating them is part devotion, part play. It’s my way of honouring all the big and small parts of ourselves that deserve to be seen and celebrated.

Though they are sculptures, they are also stories. They can evolve with you, shift in meaning, and invite your own interpretations. I’d love to know what they say to you.

With love
Emma

Visit my ceramic sculpture web shop to see sizes, read the story behind each piece and to buy a Goddess –I post world wide in custom packaging.