Showing the work of the top makers, represented by the top galleries, and selling at prices more often expressed in thousands rather than hundreds of pounds, Collect is an unashamedly elitist event.

Three of the makers from Northern Ireland at Collect – Jack Doherty, Karl Harron, and Derek Wilson – were represented by the Craft Council of Ireland’s National Craft Gallery. The display, curated by Ann Mulrooney, showed an all-island aesthetic that set it apart from the other galleries.

Derek Wilson, the youngest of the makers, was featured in the UK Crafts Council’s special supplement about Collect as one of a number of emerging makers to watch internationally.

In contrast, Jack Doherty’s monumental vessels are every bit as heavy as they seem. It takes a great deal of courage for a ceramist to demonstrate this much solidity, especially in porcelain which is conventionally used to express delicacy and perfection rather than heft.

Karl Harron introduced a new series of work at Collect 2011 which, like his earlier work, is based on a chemical reaction within the body of the glass. Download the article in full.