Clive Bowen is highly regarded as one of Britain’s finest studio potters. He is internationally known and respected for his powerful yet intimate pieces, with his works widely exhibited in the UK and throughout Europe, North America and Japan.
Made from the local Fremington clay, a red earthenware clay in use for centuries for traditional North Devon wares, Clive’s pieces are almost always wheel thrown, with the exception of a few hand-pressed dishes. He produces slip-decorated earthenware pots in a country style, with sparse but fluid and vigorous trailing of slip in free-flowing abstract or stylised patterns incorporating combing and sgraffito. Clive’s works are fired in his large, double-chambered wood-firing kilns.
Bringing together the joy of colour with bold and creative shapes, this exhibition celebrates the versatility of clay as seen in expressive statement ceramics. The show features recent work by three high-profile makers.
Ruthanne Tudball and Jeremy Steward each have long standing careers in ceramics creating work that feels organic and holds an earthy authenticity. Jeremy wood fires and salt-glazes his work while Ruthanne is renowned for her soda glaze firing, the results for both are delightfully soft textures and finishes.
Anna Lambert, a nationally recognised full-time maker, makes hand-built earthenware ceramics using various techniques including slab-building, modelling and painted slips.
Sarah Jenkins works from her house and studio surrounded by farmland in North Essex. Patricia Shone has been living and working on the Isle of Skye for the past 25 years. Though based at opposite ends of the UK, the inspiration they gather from their surrounding landscapes have lead them down surprisingly familiar paths.
Ashraf Hanna’s award-winning hand-built pieces are formed both as individual works and related groups of vessels, each object informing the next.
