As a multidisciplinary artist working primarily in sculptural ceramics, O’Donnell improvises and experiments with form and process to convey ideas and emotions. Themes of environmental and personal loss inform her practice, as she guides clay toward unpredictable outcomes through ongoing material investigation. Drawn to organic seed forms, earthy textures, and the rich, decaying layers of rock, compost, and soil, her recent work explores abstraction, moving into a more visceral sculptural territory. Layering – both physical and metaphorical – is integral to the work, shaped by natural processes as well as human experience. What Happens Next? explores the intimate connection between internal emotional landscapes and the shifting terrains of natural and urban worlds. Inspired by monumental rock formations and exposed strata, each work is formed through an intuitive layering of thrown clay. Interiors are important whether exposed or concealed, and close examination of surfaces is encouraged. The use of reclaimed clay, studio waste, and foraged natural materials from both London and Cornwall emphasises the amalgamation of thought, action, and imagination. Visual influences stem from photography and impressions taken from her surroundings, reflecting a sustained attention to detail and texture. Rough, cracked surfaces reveal embedded fragments—traces of past activity and transformation. Nothing stands still.
