Claudia is a British artist based in rural Northumberland. She was born in London in 1964. Her Mother, an antique dealer, specialised in Oriental porcelain. Growing up surrounded by beautiful ceramics and decorative objects has led Claudia to a life long love of museums, historic houses, auctions and flea markets. Following a Foundation Course at Wimbledon School of Art she studied Fine Art at Canterbury College of Art from 1984 - 1987. Claudia then completed her M.A in Sculpture at University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. As an art student, Claudia worked in clay alongside various other media. At that time she was taking casts from the clay and the finished work would be in plaster, cement or bronze.. These days, Claudia relishes the endless possibilities of working in clay ….. her ceramics are made primarily from white Faience clay and incorporate hand building, slipcasting and press moulding techniques. Once leather hard the work is decorated with underglazes, oxides and sometimes lustres. Following a first firing her ceramics are sprayed with a clear glaze before their second firing. This seals the whole surface and makes the vivid colours pop. Most recently, Claudia has been experimenting with some sculptural work made from a more sturdy crank clay that can be coloured with stoneware glazes. She still prefers not to be defined purely as a ceramicist because she is often working in a variety of media including fabric collages and printmaking. Her work is full of personality with a natural vibrancy and wit. It feels contemporary but also deeply rooted in historical/ traditional form and decoration. Claudia’s artworks are regularly exhibited here in the UK and in the USA. Currently in London she is represented by Wilson Stephens and Jones and in Los Angeles by Kneeland Rarities. “Only the heartless would be able to resist Rankin’s pottery. Brightly coloured and a bit wonky, her creations remind me of the best efforts of a gifted yet slightly disturbed child, adorned as they are with a menagerie of animal characters simultaneously innocent and knowing.” Hugo Guinness, New York Times Magazine