Claudia Barreira is a Brazilian artist based in London, working primarily with ceramics and painting. Her practice explores the intricate connections between environment, material, and memory, exploring the natural traits of materials while capturing the dynamic tension between fragility and strength.
Claudia moved to London in 2022 after living in Canada for 10 years. She completed a First Class BA (Hons) in Contemporary Design Crafts at the University of Hertfordshire in 2023, followed by an MA in Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art. Working from her studio in southwest London, she has had her work acquired by collectors worldwide.
She was awarded the Initiative Award by Ceramic Review Magazine and shortlisted for the London Group Collective, the John Ruskin Prize, and the ArtEvol Collective. Claudia has been exhibited at Thrown Contemporary, Messums Gallery, John Ruskin Prize, London Group Collective, and New Designers. Published in Crafts Council, Ceramic Review, Ceramics Now, and Emerging Potter. Fracture with Mica is part of the award-winning series Terra Brasilis, rooted in the artist’s memories of her country, Brazil. Infused with mica, the unglazed clay body radiates a natural glow, echoing the light-filled mountains of her town, Rio de Janeiro. The mineral-flecked surface catches the light, mirroring the natural luminescence of the Tropical weather and translating the landscape into a physical, glowing form.
The sculpture’s vertical, tapering silhouette evokes the rugged peaks of a mountain range, mirroring the steep, dramatic rises of the Rio de Janeiro skyline. Its surface is a dense tapestry of hand-formed elements that intentionally celebrate the fissures and "feather-like" textures inherent in weathered geological formations. Through these jagged ridges and crevices, the piece evokes a sense of belonging while paying homage to the ancient land of Brazil, preserving the artist’s memories within the stillness of the clay.