Profile
Award winning Artist Sasha McVey specialises in Ceramics, practising within the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland, creating a range of high quality contemporary works from exclusive Sculptures, Functional Wares, Gifts and Commissioned Ceramics.
Inspired by her everyday surroundings, living and working on the East Coast of Ireland within the Glens of Antrim. Sasha’s body of work reflects the qualities which she discovers and observes in her location which are often overlooked. Reflected in her handmade wares, using a range of traditional and contemporary skills to enhance the clay’s natural qualities to create truly unique quality wares.
Graduating from the University of Ulster, Belfast with a BA Honours in Contemporary Applied Arts in 2014. Sasha has since completed the prestigious Craft Northern Ireland Making It programme and spent time in Quebec, Canada at Economusee Porcelaines Bousquet to further develop her skills. Exhibiting throughout Ireland Sasha has received international recognition with a certificate of excellence from the Arts and Crafts Design Award. Sasha McVey also won Northern Ireland Young Artist of the Year 2015.
Sasha has recently been awarded creative practitioner as part of the Northword Storytagging project. Over the coming months Sasha will be developing a new ceramic showpiece inspired by a local folkloric story bringing the story to life.
CV
Education
2011-2014- B.A Honours Contemporary Applied Art, University of Ulster, Belfast
Awards
2021- Northword Storytagging Creative Practitioner
2015- Northern Ireland Young Artist of the Year Award Winner 2015
2015- General Arts Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2015- International Arts and Crafts Design Award Certificate of Excellence 2014
2014- Future Makers Student Award Winner, Materials Support Fund, presented by Future Makers and Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, Dublin
Publications
2021- Irish Ceramics book by John Goode, pages 56 & 57
2014- Ceramics Ireland Magazine Issue 34, pages 20 & 54
2014- Irish Ceramics book by John Goode, page 103
Placement
2016- Économusée, Porcelaines Bousquet Inc placement, Quebec, Canada
Commissions
2022- Arts & Business NI Awards 2022 in partnership with Forestside Commission
2014- Private Commission
2012- Private Commission
Exhibitions
2017- Landscape Defined, Framewerk, Belfast
2017- Seven Shades, Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick
2017- Banner Exhibition, Larne Visitor Centre, Larne
2017- Maiden Voyage, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart
2017- Maiden Voyage, University of Ulster, Belfast
2017- Connected, Synergy Studios, Newcastle
2016- Alchemy, Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick
2016- Into the Blue, Verling Fine Art, Blackrock
2016- A Moment in Time, Glenarm Visitors Centre, Glenarm
2016- Young ll, SO Fine Art Editions, Dublin
2015- Okto, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards
2015- Northern Ireland Young Artist of the Year Exhibition, Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena
2014- Contemporary Applied Arts Collective Exhibition, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards
2014- Christmas Craft Fair and Exhibition, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart
2014- Contemporary Applied Art Degree Show Exhibition, University of Ulster, Belfast
2013- Fusion (craft & design collective), Space Craft, Belfast
2013- Contemporary Applied Arts Collective Exhibition, R Space, Lisburn
2012- Yuletide Exhibition, Craft N.I, Belfast
2012- Contemporary Applied Arts Collective Exhibition, Rabbit Rooms, Bangor
Professional Activities
2015-2017 Making It Programme, Craft NI
2016- Judge for Northern Ireland Young Artist of the year 2016
2015- The Townlands of Glencloy, Community Project
2015- Q Radio Network, Interview
2015- Irish TV Antrim Matters 31, Interview
2015- Worlds Host Training Programme
2014-2015 Create 100 Participant, Ballymena Business Centre
2013-2014- Masterclasses in the Applied Arts (workshops, seminars and lectures) including Christie Brown, Joseph Walsh and Lisa Hammond
2012-2013- Masterclasses in the Applied Arts (workshops, seminars and lectures) including David Clarke, Claire Twomey, Jeremy Lipisto, Matthew Blakely, Jorunn Veiteberg
2012-2013- Secretary, Contemporary Applied Arts Society, University of Ulster, Belfast
2012- Pate de Verre glass masterclass by Alison Lowery, University of Ulster, Belfast
2011-2012- Masterclasses in the Applied Arts (workshops, seminars and lectures) including Deirdre McLoughlin, Cynthia Cousens, Paul Scott, Mah Rana, Colin Reid and Kim Buck