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Here are listed many of the past and present contributors to the Woodbury Studio Gallery. Those artists currently or recently exhibiting here are listed first.
No profile available |
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I have always been fascinated by dry surfaces, whether it is a parched river bed, an ancient sun-baked earth wall or layers of colour revealed by eroded paint. I hope something of the quality of these surfaces has trickled into my work. For many years I have enjoyed carving/impressing very deeply into soft, freshly-thrown forms using simple wooden tools. More recently I have begun applying glazes quickly to simpler surfaces using large flat brushes. I have always found the creative process to be a playground of distraction and surprising delight. My work is thrown on a wheel, using a blend of grogged clays, and often altered whilst still soft. Matt glazes are applied freely by brush and the work is reduction fired in a gas kiln to 1280 °C (cone 10). Thirty hours later the kiln is cool enough to unpack. Exhibited widely in the UK including Aberdeen Art Gallery – Gallery Top, Derbyshire – Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh. |
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The rugged Cornish landscape surrounding the isolated farmhouse home has provided a wellspring from which Wason draws inspiration for his ceramics. It is an ancient, and at times harsh, place … such a context for an artist is compelling, and his work reflects his affinity with it. Early pieces had a Celtic feel to them – fully thrown forms with incised, furrowed textures and banded articulations with stud-like additions. More recent work has been influenced by trips to Japan and contact with Japanese makers. |
Raku - New Directions |
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An abiding interest of John Wheeldon’s is ceramic history – especially that of English ceramics from prehistory up to the early industrial revolution. He can trace the evolution of his forms back to a neolithic storage jar excavated not far from his home in north Derbyshire. Coupled with observations about English slipware, it has led to the development of his most current range of work. ‘I feel that above all I am a potter who responds primarily to materials and processes – the exploration of which pushes my work forward. I look at other crafts, textiles, glass and metalwork in particular. I am also fascinated by ancient eroded artefacts and patinated surfaces. Initially I applied lustre using various rubber stamps in tight geometric patterns. However my discovery of the methods used to decorate fabrics by the batik method led me to use latex as a resist. This enabled me to develop a more flowing and less restrictive approach to decorating. An interest in ceramic history also informs my work although it may not be immediately apparent, as the influence is often subliminal. The forms of much of my work refer to pieces from pre-history, especially the Bronze Age, and have developed from an ancient pot seen in a museum many years ago. I also have a collection of shards found in gardens and fields which span a period from Roman to the 19th century and the marks left by the potters are so eloquent – we leave the same marks on our own work today – it is like a language left by potters to be read by potters. I hope to add a few more words to the vocabulary!' |
Raku - New Directions |
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