Nico is a ceramicist with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art and an MA in Ceramics and Glass. Since completing his MA in 2019, he has started his own decorative ceramics business, Nico Conti Art, which champions both tradition and technology. He produces unique 3D-printed pieces made from the finest porcelain with an emphasis on how they interact with light. His work is contemporary and original, but he draws on a deep understanding of the history and traditions of his craft.
A QEST Scholarship will enable Nico to further develop his craft, focusing on clay and research into the heritage of Nantgarw porcelain. He will attend a course entitled The Introduction to Clay Bodies at Ceramic Materials Workshop, followed by 50 hours of one-to-one training with Sally Stubbings. He will develop his knowledge on the various components and processes used to make fine clays and porcelains and together they will develop clay recipes and formulas that are suitable to 3D printing porcelain, a technique that Nico has already spent time developing.
At the end of his scholarship, Nico will mount an exhibition at the Nantgarw China Works Museum, in collaboration with Charles Fountain, the director of Nantgarw China Works. Going forward he also wants to develop artistic 3D printing, which is far too often associated only with mass manufacture. He will explore what can be achieved using traditional and innovative methods; producing delicate hand-finished pieces, influenced by lace and filigree.
