John West - Potter |
Adrian Bates - Ceramics |
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Artist biography: I began pottery in 1981, quite by accident. I was asked if I would take on a small teaching workshop at a specialist college near Stroud. Basically, the interest and love of the craft grew and grew. I consider myself as mainly self-taught, but I have been so lucky to be a part of many workshops and masterclasses. This has been with such people as David and Margaret Frith, Phil Rogers, Sven Bayer, Ken Matsuzaki, and Shojo Michikawa. In 2003 I was a student on the final Forest of Dean College pottery course. I make mainly functional pottery for use in and around the home with one of those functions being beauty. My work is high fired to stoneware temperatures up to 1300 degrees C, using gas and more recently a woodfired kiln. Instead of using glazes in the traditional sense, I introduce bicarbonate of soda into the flame that creates a lustrous surface over slips made often from natural local materials. I am presently working with altered forms and texture. |
Artists biography: In all the work I make I am looking to explore the relationship between inner space and outer form; where they meet and merge one into the other. This sprang from an interest in calligraphy and typography, but includes all organic forms; plant and animal, where inner nature describes outer appearance – each is expressed in, and through, the other. Methods I make stoneware sculptural pieces for home and garden. They are thrown and handbuilt from black and (separately) white stoneware clays. Some are simply glazed to emphasise the form, others are unglazed. The glazed forms are biscuit fired to 950°C, then further refined, glazed and high fired to 1260°C. The unglazed pieces are once-fired to 1260°C. I am largely self-taught although I have attended various pottery classes, intensive courses and master classes and am always keen to learn more. I previously worked as a graphic designer and craft teacher, but pottery is my real passion and in 2012 I decided to become a full time professional maker. I have since met with many challenges and successes and am completely hooked! I now teach regular classes from The Clay Loft near Nailsworth, which I find stimulating, challenging and rewarding. I show my work at a number of high quality craft shows throughout the year, through galleries nationally, and from my studio. email: mail@adrianbatesceramics.com tel: 01453 759830 mob: 07850 441809 web: www.adrianbatesceramics.com Instagram: adrian_bates_ceramics |
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