Jemma Gowland trained in Engineering Product Design and worked in industrial and architectural design before becoming a Design and Technology teacher. Her fascination with ceramics grew due to its versatility, technical challenges and endless opportunities.
Her experience as a mother, daughter, and woman in a largely male-dominated field informs her work, exploring the role of the female and how societal norms shape the way children are raised. Initially a hobby, ceramics became her full-time practice in 2014.
Influenced by her historical research of ceramic figurines, Jemma creates expressive porcelain figures, exploring upbringing and attitude, often masked using cast doll faces representing the expectations of childhood. The figures, dressed for display as playthings or ornaments, also embody strength, sisterhood, and resistance. Her work often takes the form of large groups and installations; a crowd can have a powerful voice.
Recent exhibitions include Collect 2022 at Somerset House and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2023. In 2024, she exhibited a commissioned installation at Newstead Abbey for the Byron bicentenary and was represented at Collect 2024 by the Cynthia Corbett Gallery. Jemma is also a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors and is listed in the Homo Faber Guide.
