Adam Hanford is a multidisciplinary artist from Brynmawr, South Wales. Their work primarily explores the whimsy of clay, experimenting with textures, tools, mediums and glazes to create joyful works that scratch the brain. 

 

Having stumbled upon the world of ceramics, Adam quickly found the joy in handcrafting pottery with personality from nothing but clay. Their creative moniker Rookerful stems from one of their first favourite books, A Clockwork Orange, and translates to ‘handful’ — for Adam, their art is about taking nothing but a handful of clay and turning it into something whimsical and delightful, all by the work of their own hands. They are heavily influenced by literature, as well as alternative music, sensory stimulation, and the extensive creative world of queer culture. They aim to create art as an expression of personal identity, experimenting with the fluidity and versatility of clay to reflect their own joy and exploration. 

 

The primary intention of Adam’s work is to create pieces that evoke a kind of sensory satisfaction through every part of the finished piece: the feel and texture, colours used, pattern, size, and shape. As a neurodivergent person, an essential focus of their work is to create art that, in a sense, just ‘feels right’. They believe that consuming art, at least with regards to their own, should be a satisfying and fulfilling journey that pleases the senses — particularly when the exact reason for being so is difficult to pinpoint, pleasing an instinctual satisfaction that’s hard to describe in ways other than through art. This is where Adam’s influence from alternative music stems from, where the freedom, expression, and feeling of their favourite music similarly fulfils this satisfaction of the senses which can then be translated into art: the sounds we hear become shapes, patterns, texture, and bursts of colour. 

 

Perhaps the most significant influence in their work, however, is the consumption and experience of queer culture. As a queer crafter, Adam takes continued inspiration from self-liberation and pushing the boundaries of conformity. Their primary aim is individuality and the unconventional — creating art that may not appear typical or traditional, but exudes the joy of identity.