About Tracy Drake-Tapscott

 Teacher/Artist/Ceramist

I’m an all-round artist who works with a wide range of media, techniques and processes.  I specialise in clay work and enjoy teaching these skills to my students.   

I first fell in love with clay whilst at Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon where I found my passion in making. I was definitely more interested in hands on practical subjects at school.  

After leaving school I studied Art and Design at Huntingdonshire Regional College where I found interest in other areas of Art I had not yet explored, such as textiles, print-making, painting, and photoshop.   

I have so much respect for my college tutor Angela Sanderson who was my inspiration and motivation to achieve a career in Art.  She was the first teacher that actually made me feel bright and talented. She told me I could achieve anything I wanted to if I worked hard enough to get it. Her praise, advice and encouragement over the few years I spent at college were inspirational and I will never forget what she did for me.   

After my art course and A Levels, I went onto Loughborough University to study Ceramics. I had amazing opportunities at Loughborough where I explored areas of sculpture in clay and learnt coiling techniques from the ceramist Felicity Aylieff who started teaching at RCA in 2001. 

Most of my inspiration comes from nature, which I feel is the beauty in our world. My favourite artists are Antoni Gaudi, Kate Malone, David Hockney and Banksy. Although they are all very different types of art, when I look at their work I’m engaged, inspired and so impressed with the ideas and talent in their work.  

In my final year of my degree I was blown away when my work got chosen for new designers in London. Even more overwhelmed when I was approached by the British design group who wanted to take my work to Amsterdam and Frankfurt for exhibitions. This gave me a real boost in confidence and was the sign I needed to really allow to believe I really had talent.

I had always known I wanted to work with children, as well as pursue my career in Art.  After graduating from Loughborough University, I attended Birmingham UCE to train as a secondary school teacher in art and design.  In my long placement at Castle high school in Dudley my feelings were confirmed I wanted to teach. It’s a fun and rewarding job.  I went on to teach at Montagu school in Kettering completing my NQT.  In 2007 I moved to London to work in a specialist arts school where I still teach part-time.  

Throughout the years I have continued to make and create my own work made to order or sold at exhibitions and craft fairs. I am passionate about my own work and feel it’s good for the students to see me creating. It helps inspire and motivate them to achieve their best as well as believing that if I can do it they can too.

I like to create art work, and run workshops to help raise money for charities.  I also like to work in different communities to build up areas that are neglected and have the opportunity to add an exciting touch to this, and make them more visually exciting.  I hope you enjoy browsing my website and if you would like to contact me for quotes, workshops etc please send me an email and I will get back to you.