Highland Artists
pottery by Maureen Minchin & Highland Stoneware
jewellery by Isobel Lindsay, Alan Baillie & Sally Nowell
Maureen Minchin Maureen Minchin has always drawn inspiration from the natural environment. She likes to live and work in relative isolation, reflecting her surroundings in decorated earthenware pottery. Her beautiful, free flowing drawings depict the flora and fauna of wild open spaces and coastal habitats in clear bright colours. A move from Suffolk to the Ardnamurchan peninsula in 2000 changed the direction of her work as she began to focus on a new landscape and incorporate new creatures into her designs. The mighty stag, heron, otter and mackerel all now feature prominently on her pots. From her early days she has kept geese and these are a favourite motif. Many of the handle joints are adorned with beautifully observed drawings. Maureen makes pots which she hopes people will delight in using, but which also give a sense of the hidden natural world. Included in this small selection of work from a private collection are jugs from an earlier period. They are characterised by a greater area of cream glaze, less details and simpler forms. In recent years Maureen’s pots have achieved high prices in auction at Bonhams in London and her work is becoming increasingly recognised by collectors of contemporary ceramics. For this reason, purchases will initially be limited to one per customer attending our exhibition preview on Friday 5th February, 2016 at 6.00pm. Each piece is hand-painted earthenware and all sizes are approximate. Please contact the gallery for further information and a price list. T: 01463 729512
E: info@castlegallery.co.uk
W: www.castlegallery.co.uk
Cover: Highland Stoneware - Lily Pad Lidded Pot & Maureen Minchin - Heron Large Jug
Stag and Dotterel Large Wavy Jug
with heather, stags head club moss, bug asphodel, ravens & golden eagle front and back 28(h) X 21(w) cm
Heron Large Jug with dragonfly, corncrake, frog and grass of parnassus, from different viewpoints, 24(h) X 19(w) cm (also on cover page)
Otter and Kingfisher Small Jug with dragonfly, lapwing, forget-me-nots, grass of parnassus and sea centaury from different viewpoints, 14(h) X 15(w) cm
Goose Large Jug with dragonfly, yellow iris, figwort and marsh violet, from different viewpoints, 24(h) X 20(w) cm
Heron, Puffin and Mackerel Large Wavy Jug with sea campion from different viewpoints 25(h) X 18(w) cm
Highland Stoneware Highland Stoneware is based at Lochinver and Ullapool in the far northwest of Scotland and has a reputation for quality and innovation. The pottery makes its own clay, glazes and colours which are fired at nearly 1300oC to give superb finishes and a durability more usually associated with Oriental stonewares. It has been producing world-class tableware and decorative ceramics since 1975 and exports to Japan, America and Europe. Whilst still a student at the Royal College of Art in London, David Grant gained the support of tutors, David Queensbury and Grahame Clarke, to establish a company to make tableware with the quality of studio pottery but using semi-industrial techniques. Grant wanted to situate his pottery in the Scottish Highlands where he was raised and despite the difficulties of transport, the first workshop was built in the small fishing port of Lochinver, on the shores of a sea-loch and surrounded by rugged mountains. This beautiful location has inspired the decorators who have created many patterns featuring the local scenery, flora and fauna. Highland Stoneware pieces are notable for the vitality and originality of the hand-painted patterns. Whilst the firm’s decorators have been trained to paint a variety of standard patterns they have also been encouraged to innovate and to create individual designs. Well-known artists and designers, such as Kaffe Fassett, have also been enthusiastic contributors to the pottery’s designs. These special, one-off pieces have been attracting a growing number of collectors. The Castle Gallery is pleased to be able to offer six of these works from a private collection for sale. Decorators featured in this exhibition include Lesley Thorpe, Dorell Pirie and Kaffe Fassett
Dorell Pirie was born in Australia but spent most of her childhood in Lochinver. She studied ceramics at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, working during the summer vacations at Highland Stoneware. She joined the company full-time in 1987 and has been a key member of the creative team at Highland Stoneware ever since. Dorell is skilled in the use of colour and drawing and developed the Lily and Dorell Blue patterns herself, whilst contributing to the drawing of fish, birds, cats and wild animals on other designs. This is one of a very small number of large turkey dishes made at Lochinver. Its striking lily design is typical of Dorell’s high quality decoration.
Lily Turkey Dish
decorated by Dorell Pirie circa 1995-1998 48(l) X 40(w) cm
Kaffe Fassett was born in San Francisco in 1937 but has made his home in Britain since the 1960’s. He is best known for his colourful textile designs and his work attracts a considerable following. The Victoria and Albert Museum held a solo show of his work in 1988 which then toured nine countries. He has written over 30 books on various aspects of colour and design and has presented programmes on radio and television. The exhibition ‘50 Years in Colour’ at Aberdeen Art Gallery in 2014 drew huge crowds. Interspersed amongst the fabric designs were a few pots for sale. Not surprisingly, they all sold and therefore, this skilfully decorated pot from about 2001 is bound to attract attention.
Lily Pad Lidded Pot detail
Lily Pad Lidded Pot
decorated by Kaffe Fassett circa 2001 23(h) X 26(w) cm
(also on cover page)
Lily Bread Crock
decorated by Dorell Pirie circa 1995 -1998
front and back 31(h) X 24(w) cm
Lily Bread Crock detail
Chrysanthemums Bowl
decorated by Dorell Pirie circa 1995 -1998
15(h) X 39(w) cm
Bluebell Vase, decorated by Dorell Pirie, circa 2006 - 2007 22(h) X 23(w) cm
Lesley Thorpe, B.A., first worked parttime for Highland stoneware in 1987 and then, after graduating from Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, in 1989, she was employed full-time, mainly as a decorator. She now lives near Aberdeen. She contributed to the development of the Fish decoration, introducing more exotic species that gave her the opportunity to use the bright pigments she had developed in the course of her work on colour mixing. This stunning jar is a fine example of her craft. The glaze was difficult to master and so not many were made, making this a rare piece.
Fish Ginger Jar
decorated by Lesley Thorpe potted by Fergus Stewart circa 1997 22(h) X 17(w) cm
Highland Jewellers
Alan Baillie worked for Hamilton
Sally Nowell lives in rural
and Inches in Edinburgh before moving to Inverness in 1994 to establish his own business and reputation as a designer silversmith. Many of his pieces are created using traditional methods of hammering the silver to create texture and individuality. Alan’s work has a strong contemporary design element although it is often inspired by his interest in history and love of antiques.
Strathspey in the shadow of the Cairngorm Mountains. Her jewellery reflects the colour and character of this landscape through the changing seasons. Stunning, high quality Czech beads are selected to fit with colourways inspired by spring blossoms, beautiful woodland mosses and the heather covered moorland.
Isobel Lindsay has a studio near Strathpeffer. Here, she designs and creates unique, one-off pieces of hallmarked silver jewellery taking her inspiration from nature’s simple forms and movement.
jewellery by Isobel Lindsay
jewellery by Alan Baillie
Sally Nowell - Necklace with silver
Highland Potters & Highland Jewellers Castle Gallery, 43 Castle St, Inverness, IV2 3DU www.castlegallery.co.uk 01463 729512