Born in Boston, Lincolnshire, and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, Jasmine is an artist whose practice is deeply rooted in her heritage. Growing up surrounded by the rich ceramic traditions of Staffordshire, she developed a fascination with form, texture, and storytelling that continues to shape her work today. Her imagined animal forms and myth-infused figures carry a distinctive blend of tenderness and strangeness, inviting viewers into worlds that feel both familiar and otherworldly.

Jasmine’s creatures are steeped in narrative, drawing inspiration from the folklore and craft traditions of her hometown, and they provide the perfect spark for our September Drink and Draw session. With her guidance, participants will explore intuitive mark-making, character, and texture in a relaxed, friendly environment.

This event marks the start of a new season for Weald Contemporary’s Drink & Draw Club—and we couldn’t think of a more exciting artist to lead the way.

Let’s start with your journey from Stoke to Sussex. How has that move influenced your practice, and what led you to make the shift geographically and artistically?

Jasmine - Stoke has an amazing heritage and has allowed me to hone my skills in ceramics and the arts but Sussex has lots to offer artistically. Not only with amazing job opportunities with the Matt Black Barn but with the wider connections and creative communities such as Matt Black Barn, Weald contemporary, Bloomsbury group etc. There is a history of artists here and a buzz about art that attracted me.

You’ve recently shown work in several exhibitions, can you tell us about some of the themes or ideas you've been exploring in your recent pieces?

Jasmine - My most recent piece ‘Untrainable’ explores the intersection of gender roles, domesticity, and rebellion. By reimagining the traditional Staffordshire ceramic dog —typically a symbol of loyalty, domestic order, and femininity—I challenge the societal expectation that women must conform to idealized domestic roles. In other works I’ve been exploring nature and fragmentation. Looking at the material qualities of clay, how it is morphed, fragments and breaks, and linking this to the idea of patching together memories of the past and how we have fallen out of touch with nature and how we can bring the pieces of those memories together to reconnect.

What have you been up to this year so far?

Jasmine - This year has been a pretty busy one. Alongside making for Galleries I started the year busily making for Ceramic Art London, which took place in May. This was My first time exhibiting for this particular show and it was a wonderful insight into larger scale exhibition hall type shows- a type of show I haven't done in a long time. It was also a great opportunity to rub shoulders with some of my favourite ceramic artists and well known people in the circuit.

In June I was involved in a group show called 'Behind The Closed Doors' in Safe House 1 in London. A show about the hidden power dynamics of family life through everyday objects. It was here where I exhibited 'Untrainable', A mixed media installation exploring the weight of inherited domestic roles and the persistent struggle for female autonomy within the home. The work features an angry ceramic dog tearing up her handicrafts and smashing crockery whilst sitting in a demonic armchair, laundry draped across the back and morphing into a grotesque face. I've also made an effort so go and see shows and galleries this year, like 'Abstract Erotic' at the Courtauld Gallery, 'Jenny Saville: The Anatomy Of Painting' at the National Gallery and Finally Seeing The Charleston House (now it's a stone's throw away).

And to top it all off I got married this month!

How would you describe your current practice, and what continues to drive or challenge you in the studio?

Jasmine - The exploration of ceramics is endless and I'm constantly finding new ways of working with it. Even after all these years I’m still just beginning to see clay through new lenses with viewpoints given to me through my exposure with more artists, communities and nature after moving south. I’m also looking through my old sketchbooks at some older ideas I’ve had with fresh eyes and seeing what sparks.

There Are Devils In My House by Jasmine Simpson

Finally, what’s on your studio playlist? Give us 10 tracks - either what you’re listening to right now or an all-time top 10 for working in the studio.

Deep Blue Day- Brian Eno

The Pot- Tool

Tezeta - Mulatu Astatke

Coffin Nails- MF Doom

Embryonic Journey- Jefferson Airplane

Beeswing - Richard Thomson

Parade - Rone

Flying Bamboo - Nitai Hershkovits, Mndsgn

Long Long Silk Bridge - Susumu Yokota

Welcome to paradise- greenday

Jasmine Simpson

Alexander Johnson