With painter parents, Chris inherited artist's genes and spent three years at Harrogate School of Art followed by three years at Slade School. After the Slade, Chris studied under Bill Newland at the London Institute of Education. He then gained a diploma in Postgraduate Ceramics at Central School in London. Valuable production experience ensued at Briglin Pottery after his studies. Chris has had a long ceramics teaching career, latterly being head of ceramics at Manchester Metropolitan University.