Paul Jackson & Richard Phethean | New Work

Contemporary Ceramics: How has your work grown or changed for this exhibition? What kind of journey do you hope to take your audience on?

Paul Jackson: I have used this exhibition to focus on favourite ways of making and decorating. To bring attention to the surface versus form.

Contemporary Ceramics: This exhibition weaves together three distinct threads—black and white, figurative, and colour. How do these different expressions connect or contrast, and what deeper conversation emerges between them?

Paul Jackson: I enjoy playing in 2D with painting and drawing then transferring the resulting creations on to the pots.

Contemporary Ceramics: Your work reveals a dialogue between surface decoration and form, how do form and surface work together in your practice—do they guide each other, or does one lead the way?

Paul Jackson: Form emerges out of practice but occasionally the decoration demands another response. I am forever weaving between the two pillars of my work.

Contemporary Ceramics: How has your practice changed over time? What has been a seminal and/or inspirational moment?

Paul Jackson: There was a major shift in the clay used; some eight years ago I replaced red earthenware and slips for white earthenware. I still use a kind of slip to whiten the background and bind the pieces.

Contemporary Ceramics: Has clay always been your artform? How did you first get involved in working with clay?

Paul Jackson: I have always been a potter, but have enjoyed some painting and a lot of life drawing. Only potting as a formal training.

Contemporary Ceramics: What was the first piece of art that really mattered to you?

Paul Jackson: I bought a pot from a local art show aged 14. On reflection, amusing but not a very good one. I also bought two pieces of textile very shortly afterwards. The really special moment was buying a pot from Joanna Constantinidis.