Born in Colombia, Lilia trained as an architect at the University of America before coming to the UK in 1979.

Lilia Umana Clarke studied Art at the University of Hertfordshire, graduating with a BA (Fine Art) in 1985. She began to specialise in Ceramics in 1989 and studied ceramics at Kingsway College, London before joining the Albion Square Studio, Hackney in 1992.

A great source of inspiration in her work comes from the ceramics of early South American civilisations and their symbolic use of human and animal imagery. Lilia tries to explore ideas about relationships and states of mind, combining geometric abstraction with more expressive sculpture.

Lilia is currently working on large sculptural forms in stoneware using a combination of oxides and glazes.