Contemporary Ceramics gallery and shop exhibits the greatest collectable names in British ceramics along with the most up and coming artists of today. Our distinguished makers are all carefully selected members of the Craft Potters Association.
All of our makers are members of the Craft Potters Association and each of them have a story to tell.
Hiro was born in Fukushima, Japan. Due to her father’s work commitments, Hiro had a peripatetic childhood. The constants in her life were her grandmother and being close to nature. However, she was dismayed later on to find that the traditional old buildings from her childhood walks with her grandmother had been demolished. Driven by sadness and nostalgia at the loss of her childhood environment/world in Japan, Hiro creates a link between the present and the past from her memories and imagination.
Patia studied at Harrow College of Further Education 1986 – 1988 and subsequently spent a further two years at Cardiff School of Art and Design from 1998 – 1990. During her time at Harrow and Cardiff she was tutored by Mick Casson, which after her graduation led to an invitation by Mick and Sheila Casson to join the team at Wobage in 1990. This is where Patia continues to work today in her own workshop making slip decorated earthenware and high-fired ash and feldspathic glazed porcelain. Patia was made a Fellow of the CPA in 2015, and has exhibited in the UK, Japan and Europe.
In 2014, Jack and his late wife and fellow ceramicist built a 3D ceramic printer, there being no such printers available at the time. Together they began making 3D printed ceramics. Within six years, Jack re-thought his design ideas, formulated a workable clay mix, and developed his skill. His designs combine hand-drawn elements with mathematical curves and semi-random 'noise'. He is interested in nature's growth processes which often build up layer by layer like a 3D print. Random variations were introduced by using algorithms that were developed for animated films to give the appearance of flames, hair or vegetation.
John has been making stoneware pottery in the North Lancashire village of Yealand Redmayne for forty years. The firing process requires a temperature of 1320c, and a smoky/reducing atmosphere in the kiln, which results in rich glaze colours and exciting unpredictable effects on the pots. Most of the pots are classically simple functional shapes, thrown on the wheel, but John occasionally alters the freshly thrown pots to produce one of the signature forms for which he is well known.
Kate creates sculptural vessels which explore the transformational nature of time on human experience. Her practice involves a continuous investigation of structure and surface, with particular emphasis on ceramic materials, fragmentation and transfiguration. Kate’s making process consists of the tearing, breaking and joining of clay to create organic forms with undulating edges, fault lines and fissures.
Vanessa's work is influenced by natural patterns, colours and forms found in and beside the sea. Over time Vanessa has developed her own technique of using slip as a resist and for texture to pattern her sawdust fired pots.
