Theodore Harper-Davis

About Theodore Harper-Davis

I am a Senior Lecturer in Ceramic Art at HDK, I also contribute to the Crafting Futures program at Campus Steneby. I hold a PhD by practice (fully funded by the AHRC, UK) and an MA in Sculpture from the Royal College of Art. My teaching and research are deeply connected, emphasising thinking through making and interdisciplinary collaboration. My experience working as an artisan prior to this appointment as well as in research and development within Renowned artists studios has deepened my understanding of artist studio models, digital fabrication, and novel making processes. Engaging with diverse teams of designers, makers, and technicians has provided insights into the broader systems of contemporary production and material use.

My early life experiences have strongly influenced my perspective as an artist. I was born in Brixton, London, in the 1980s and spent my first eight years in diverse environments, learning outside the school system in an independent educational setting. Moving to rural Devon (UK) at age eight introduced me to an entirely different landscape. This extreme contrast shaped my interest in the complexities of both human and non-human worlds and so I have worked to develop a varied sculptural language, utilising various material perspectives, expressions, and processes. Most recently I’ve focused on the intersection between the physical and the digital, seeking meaningful connections between the two as our shared experience of reality has shifted. A fundamental, originating aspect of my practice is hand coiling clay—an action with universal significance. My work explores human feeling, material agency, craft knowledge, and the shifting role of the artist in an increasingly digital world.

My academic research focuses on the intersection of AI, Movement and Craft, particularly in relation to creative practice and material processes. This builds on my practice-based PhD, A Hybrid Origin: Re-thinking Computer-Aided Design through Hand-Printing Clay. I actively contribute to international research networks and have exhibited and presented my work at leading institutions across Europe.