EMERGING
Issue 33 October December 2023
Potters
Emerging Potters - 33
October - December 2023
Introduction The online pottery magazine Artist Mella Shaw has been named as the winner of the British Ceramics Biennial’s £10,000 Award, the UK’s largest prize for ceramics. Her winning work, Sounding Line is a large-scale sculptural installation exposing the overuse of marine sonar and its devastating effect on deep-diving whale species. It is currently on show at the British Ceramics Biennial in Stoke-on-Trent, until 5 November. Mella Shaw is a ceramicist and an environmental activist who uses themes of balance, tipping points, fragility and loss to raise awareness and inspire change. Sounding Line is about the mass beachings of whales happening across Britain due to the increased use of marine sonar to search for enemy submarines and new oil reserves. With permission from Nature Scotland, she incorporated the bone-ash from the remains of a northern bottlenose whale beached on the west coast of Scotland to create a clay body. FiredUp4 works in partnership with OnSide, raising funds to place clay into the hands of young people via studios in a Network of Youth Zones across the UK. Almost 90 ceramic artists have donated to this fundraising auction. Cover: Jane Flint
The magazine is an independent journal. The publishers do not accept any liability for errors or omissions. The views expressed in the features are not necessarily those of the editor. Reproduction in part or whole must be with the consent of the editor. All rights reserved. 2023.
The proceeds of the sale will go towards the installation of clay studios in Youth Zones in Manchester, Croydon and Blackburn with Darwen. The auction is hosted by Adam Partridge Auctioneers and is live at the Cheshire Saleroom in Macclesfield and online, commencing at 7pm on Thursday 19 October 2023 To register and bid visit: adampartridge.co.uk or the-saleroom.com
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Royal College of Art. Abi Freckleton Rowney Warren Forest Monuments. Found materials, objects and images transformed and reaggregated using ceramic processes. Recipient of the Royal College of Art’s Sir Frank Bowling Scholarship.
(MA) Ceramics and Glass
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October - December 2023
Contents Right: Giles Walker £12,500 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Below: Jemma Gowland £14,500 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Royal Academy RCA at Truman’s Centre Valerie Bernardini Fresh Winners Book Review Jane Flint Potfest 2023 La Science de la Ceramique Mella Shaw wins BCB
5-10 11-13 14-16 17-20 21-25 26-28 29-31 32 33-34
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 5
Emerging Potters – 33
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
October - December 2023
The Royal Academy Summer Show 2023 This is not an academic review, but my reaction as a visitor to the show. For me the most recent past has been dominated by the show being curated by Grayson Perry. Unpretentious choices and a brilliant ability to communicate his enthusiasm to a public audience. This year’s show had the best and all the worst traits of the arts world. A typical show then. But was it fun? No catalogue! Why? Just a small booklet telling you how much things were, which made you play the game – would your pay that, if you had the money? The images of the ceramic work is my best attempt to capture what was on offer. If I’ve missed anything – sorry. The new mixed media exhibits are very convincing and I wish I could have included more like the Donald Trump head. The best thing there by a very long way was the Jemma Gowland piece (at £14,500), Beautifully made, intriguing, challenging, and deserves a show of here own. What a talent for this country. I first came across her at a Crafts Council ‘Collect’ show and she just gets better and better. Her work is titled – Facebook Turns 18: Coming of Age in The Digital World.
Jemma Gowland £14,500 Facebook turns 18: Coming of age in the digital world. Porcelain, jesmonite, MDF, copper leaf,
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Emerging Potters – 33
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
October - December 2023
Should you have the odd £130,000 in the bank and want to invest it then there was a piece by Edmund de Wall. Not quite sure how it will hang in the bank vault? But if you have a really good cense of humour and the surreal, then you can do no better than Joe Lycett’s painting – I drink a crisp, cold beer in a pool in Los Angeles while Gary Lineker looks on in disgust. I am guessing a reference to David Hockney’s poolside period of work. And this can be yours for £1,354,999 or almost the cost of a parking space in London? What a bargain. If planning to visit the show next year then allow time to go around the show twice as there are so many works on show. Firstly at eye level, and the secondly stand in the centre of each room and have good look at the work hung high-up there will be some real gems waiting to be discovered. One last thing – have an open cheque book just in case you find something you can’t live without. Should you wish to see more of the show then go to – roy.ac/Explore
Top: Lindsey Mendick NFS Wetting the Tip Centre: Edmund de Waal £130,000 Five Stone Wind (For John Cage) Porcelain, silver, aluminum and glass Opposite: John Humphreys (edition of 5 at £120,000 each) Donald Trump Helmet Head Fiberglass and acrylic paint
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Emerging Potters – 33
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
October - December 2023
Alice Mara £4,095 (edition of 10 at £4,095 The White House 2023 digitally printed transfer on ceramic stoneware Front and back of house shown here
Jenkin van Zyl £8,000 (edition of 3 at £8,000 each) I only have eyes for you resin, varnish
Erin Dickson £6,000 MAM 3Dprint (PLA)
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Emerging Potters – 33
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Right: Jo Faitfax £4,500 Bishop Geoff Hurst Twins Filament, MDF, Perspex and paint
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October - December 2023
Emma Carlow £10,000 Moments from 365 days of whistling 1 ceramic whistles
Emerging Potters – 33
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
October - December 2023
Michael Robey NFS Reflecting the times, as a child Earthenware ceramic
Cathy Lewis £7,000 In Memoriam Jesmonite and textile
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Emerging Potters – 33 Royal College of Art
October – December 2023
Royal College of Art at the Truman’s Centre After visiting the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition on the same day this show for students at The Royal College of Art came as a complete contrast. The show was at the Trumans Old Brewery building in Brick Lane, east London. Not a building I particularly like as it has a lot stairs to climb and very easy to get lost amongst a maze of rooms. Still, there was an air of excitement amongst all the students and a real feeling of something dramatic about to happen. But the venue is at the centre of new tech start-up companies in London so there is relevance. We were herded into a square and asked to wait. Then about 30 mins early the students started to enter the building. So I joined them as the oldest student there. Once inside it became clear that the show was not divided-up between the various subjects but a random mix of everything.
Isis Dove-Edwin. We are in the middle of the sea..Crazy in space. Ceramic – terracotta. H50xd59cm. RJ Washington Bursary Award, (MA) Ceramics and Glass
The images shown here are what I was able to find and wherever possible I managed to talk to the students showing their work. Some you might recognise from the last edition of the magazine, but it was good to see the work in a new context, plus work from other faculties. For me the show epitomised the art school tradition of experimentation, talent, very individual students enjoying the experience, and an excitement as to what their future will bring. On the way out there was a crowed trying to get in not unlike a music concert. I was asked how I managed to get in early? I thought discretion was the wisest option.
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Ying Chen. Whispers of scarlet captivation. Porcelain. 43x32x28. (MA) Ceramics and Glass
Emerging Potters – 33 Royal College of Art
Ying Chen. Whispers of scarlet captivation. Porcelain.
Stella Arion. The Gardens of Love. Ceramics (black porcelain, stoneware, glazes) (MA) Ceramics and Glass
Shinhye You. Till Death Tears Us Apart. Black Clay. 14x25x14cm. Charlotte Fraser Prize. (MA) Ceramics and Glass
October - December 2023
Jihy un Kim. Salty fairy ring. Porcelain, High-fired colour stain. Gloop glaze.
Christina Krey. Flying colours (PDF). Porcelain, concrete. 30x40x35cm. (MA) Ceramics and Glass
Ying Chen (MA) Ceramics and Glass
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Emerging Potters – 33 Royal College of Art
October - December 2023
Fo. Parallel – A Fantasy Feast. Porcelain, flour, beetroot, chocolate, cocoa butter, food coloring, popcorn
Sophie Southgate. Unravel. Glass. 18x33x20cm Griffin Scholarship. (MA) Ceramics and Glass
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Emerging Potters – 33
October - December 2023
Valerie Bernardini Now the students shows are over and a new cohort of makers are launched into the world of ceramics it is perhaps right to look at what goes into being a students these days and for those coming from abroad the social and economic impact being in a new country and culture can bring. Here we focus on the world of Valerie Bernardini. She is a graduate from the Royal College of Art (RCA) this year. But before that completed two-year Diploma course in ceramics at Morley College, graduating in 2020.( HND), and one year Diploma course in glass at Morley. The RCA is purely a postgraduate course. While at Morley her graduation work entitled Maelstrom was shortlisted for ‘Fresh’ and exhibited at the British Ceramics Biennal in Stoke-On-Trent in 2021. She commented, “I explored the dynamic processes of clay, glass, and photography and the human capacity to exteriorise feelings in objects”. It was possible to explore further those three centres of interest at the RCA because of the comprehensive facilities available to the students. Knowing that the RCA pays a lot of attention to the concept and the reflection that accompanies a project, it leaves a lot of freedom in the creative choices of the final project. She commented, “At first I thought that I knew exactly what I was doing, but then I was asked to understand, analyse and develop my creative processes and new technics, by transposing something into photo or ceramic or glass. I had an Epiphany: a sensitivity for the "aura" of an object, the narrative dimension of the object, its know-how, its material, its evocative power. What works best for me: how to structure my researches in order to gain a methodology that I will use again and again in all three disciplines separately and all together”.
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Emerging Potters – 33 Valerie Bernardini
"The hands want to see, the eyes want to caress" Goethe Valerie Bernardini uses diverse techniques and mediums to explore material interactions. Her artwork connects time to emotions, movements to sensations. From an intimate view, she tells her stories where the eyes want to collaborate with the other senses.
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October – December 2023
Emerging Potters – 33 Valerie Bernardini
October - December 2023
So, what makes the RCA course different? To obtain a ‘Master’s in one year gives no time to wonder. It is important to understand early the difference between the creative part and the technical part. It is important to be curious about the tools and not to hesitate to train yourself by observing other students or asking technicians. Students are more free to be creative with a large toolbox available to them. Looking to the future she commented, “I am exhibiting one of my pieces in Hangzhou for Blanc de Chine in October, prepare for the Collect show in March, while looking for residencies which could be anywhere such as Japan or China may be? “ I need to remain very free during the creative process, follow my intuition and work on my self-confidence. Now is the time to make any mistakes while still in the experimental stages”. Born and raised in Brittany, France, Valerie has lived and worked as a photographer in Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and now London. Valerie studied art and photography in France, and later ceramics in the UK (first as a hobby at Putney School of Design). “It grows on me, the contact with the material (as opposed to digital photography) became visceral. The pleasure of making something from my hands brought me back to the real world. The clay became quickly my daily partner which I was curious to discover and push the limits of ”.
A fleur de peau (under your skin) porcelain 18x11x8cm
instagram: valerie_bernardini_ https://valeriebernar dini.com/gallery
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Emerging Potters – 33 British Ceramics Bennial
October - December 2023
Fresh 2023 Winners Twenty-five early career artists have been selected to take part in the British Ceramics Biennial, a six-week celebration of clay in Stokeon-Trent from 23 September to 5 November 2023. Their work will be part of Fresh, one of the flagship exhibitions of the Biennial. Chosen from over 300 applications they are united by their ambition to embark on ceramics careers, and by their commitment to addressing some of the most pressing issues today. Among the 25 artists are: • Martha Wiles, who specialises in ornate conversation pieces questioning the sustainability of our food system; • Erum Aamir, a former physicist who fuses scientific research with artistic imaginings; • Hugo Hutchins, who combines pop culture and queer life in his work; • Caroline Chouler-Tissier, who uses clay to explore memory, personal and environmental grief and the wider influence of societal expectations on the self; • Paul Anthony Griffin, whose work incorporates Celtic mythical legends and is inspired by Brehon law – the ancient legal system of Ireland, which recognised the interconnectedness of humans and the natural world. Fresh 2023 was selected by a panel of contemporary ceramics advocates, professionals and community members, including a Fresh Youth Panel, which comprised 27 year-7 students from Thistly Hough Academy, Stoke-onTrent; Professor Moira Vincintelli, Emeritus Professor of Art History and Consultant Curator of Ceramics at Aberystwyth University; Reiko Kaneko, designer and educator; Shane Porter, Lecturer (Product), Ulster University; and Simon Bayliss, studio potter and fine artist.
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Jihyun Kim, Salty Fairy Ring (Red) 2023. 170x75x75. POcelain high fired colour stain – Gloop glaze
Emerging Potters – 33 British Ceramics Biennial
Fresh Talent Residencies will be awarded to four of the 25 artists during the British Ceramics Biennial 2023. The four residencies will take place through partnerships with Staffordshire University, Guldagergaard International Ceramics Research Centre, in Denmark and Grymsdyke Farm, in Buckinghamshire. The fourth residency will be hosted directly by the British Ceramics Biennial in the BCB Studio based on the original Spode factory site in Stokeon-Trent. The four artists will then return to showcase their work at the next Biennial in 2025.
October - December 2023
Fresh is one of the main exhibitions in the British Ceramics Biennial which returns to Stoke-on-Trent for its eighth edition with a lineup of exhibitions, installations and events shown against the backdrop of the city’s industrial heritage. Fresh is sponsored by Stoke-on-Trent based supplier of ceramics and sculpture products, Potterycrafts. For 2023, the Biennial has a new venue, All Saints Church in Hanley, which will be home to Fresh. The eighth edition of the British Ceramics Biennial takes place in Stoke-on-Trent from 23 September to 5 November 2023. Free entry.
Paul Griffin. Ewer Oisin Porcelain 2023
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Emerging Potters – 33 - Fresh
Adi Avidani. Drift Installation of gradient cubes, from white to blue.
October - December 2023
Andrea Leigh. Lone Voice. White earthenware Clay. Photo: Catherine Dineley
Carla Wright. Weed 9detail). Photo Lineker
Hugo Hutchins. Cum Dad 2023
Caroline Gray. Topography 2022. Earthenware. Caroline Chouler-Tissier. The Ground beneath your feet 2022. Porcelain and volcanic clays. Photo Sylvain Deleu
Charlotte Ladd. Tragedy of the Commons 2023. 1m square with plinth.
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Chi Onwordi. Groth & Decay Installation.Large scale close up of layred contour plate
Erum Aamir. Arcanus 2023. 26x26x26 cm. Porcelain.
October - December 2023
Emerging Potters – 33 Fresh
Jana Griffiths Boundaries ix&X Pair 2023
Kieran Harris. Listening Bell Early Prototype 2022 Stoneware Krzysztof Strzelecki. 3 some cruising fantasies
Above -‐ Melissa Murray Above - Lottie Stoddart, Earthly Delights. Glazed stoneware.
Above – Martha Wiles, Regenerative Appetite 2023. Foraged clay
Right – Nina Gerada Roma. Ceramicandsteel. Photo: Andre Ainsworth
Left – Oxana Geets. The Red Dancer 2021. Stoneware
Above – Oliver Turnpenny. Utah Teaport. Left – Peter Trnkus. Trespassing N.9 2022. Crankclay, stainedporcelain
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Emerging Potters – 33
October - December 2023
Book Review for 2023 With so many quality books being published this year here is a brief overview
Studio Ceramics Alun Graves Foreword by Tanya Harrod Published 6 April 2023, with 919 Illustrations £65 hardback Published by Thames & Hudson A magnificent catalogue of the V&A's collection of twentieth-century and contemporary British ceramics.
Earth & Fire by Kylie and Tiffany Johnson Publishing on 24 August in UK by Thames & Hudson £40 RRP available at bookshops and at: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/earth-firemodern-potters-their-tools-techniques-andpractices-tiffanyjohnson/7417460?ean=9781760763527 ISBN 9781760763527
This is a comprehensive and large book looking at the work of individual potters in Australia working today. It looks at the studio and driving forces behind each maker and is a fascinating insight. Anyone looking for different ceramic influences this book is a must.
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Emerging Potters – 32 Book Review for 2023
Wild Clay Creating ceramics and glazes from natural and found resources. By Matt Levy, Takuro Shibata and Hitomi Shibata Hardback 176 pp £30 plus 20% discount for readers of this magazine https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ wild-clay-9781789940923/
July - September 2023
Surface Decoration for Ceramics By Claire Ireland and published by The Crowood Press ISBN 978-0-7198-4153-8 £20 and ebook £15.99 www.crowood.com
978178994092327 Herbert Press Published 27th October 2022
Complete Pottery Techniques By Jess Jos and published by Dorling Kindersley Ltd ISBN: 978-0-2413-8185-4 £25 22
July - September 2023
Emerging Potters – 32 Book Review for 2023
Electric Kilns for Ceramics By Jo Davies and published by the Crowood Press ISBN 978-0-7198-41477. £18.99 and ebook £14.99 www.crowood.com This very prepossessing publication has to be one of the most important books to be published this year for anyone involved in, or wants to develop their interest in ceramics. It is also very timely in that it meets the new market for ceramic making and people wanting to start their own studio at whatever entry level.
Design and Create Contemporary Tableware making pottery you can use By Linda Bloomfield and Sue Pryke £30 Published by the Herbert Press. www.bloomsbury.com
This book takes us into the world of how commercial factory ceramics are made, as well as items made by the studio potter. It looks in detail at the slip making process and how to avoid problems. Today the tableware we use is important in our everyday lives, a simple mug or bowl can give us a connection with the hand of the maker or the mind of the designer.
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ISBN 978-1-78994-072-5
Emerging Potters – 33 Book Review for 2023
October to December 2023
Just published.. Glazes for the Contemporary Maker by Louisa Taylor Published by the Crowood Press September 2023. 144 pages. £20 Paperback ISBN 9780719842405 Available through online retailers and bookshops. www,crowood.com All ceramic makers are looking to expand their knowledge of glaze practice. The book gives a holistic approach and serves as an introduction to glaze chemistry, materials knowledge and methods of application via detailed step-by-step guidance. You will find many examples of work by leading practitioners, providing practical tips and advice. The focus of the book is to help demystify the many different aspects of glaze practice. It contains work by many leading makers working today, such as, Anna Barlow, Tessa Eastman, Tanya Gomez and Anna Silverton – must for all studios.
Packed with over 200 illustrated glaze recipes, this is a must reference book. It covers everything from shiny, opaque, matt, crystalline to special effect glazes. Louisa Taylor trained at The Royal College of Art and has won numerous design awards. She also lectures on ceramics at the University of Brighton.
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October to December 2023
Emerging Potters – 33 Book Review for 2023
Just published.. Contemporary British Studio Pottery – forms of expression by Ashley Thorpe. Published by The Crowood Press 2023. Hardback £35 ISBN 9780719842429 enquiries@crowood.com This book takes on the debate around what makes ceramics an art form and how it has developed. The ‘vessel’, it seems, is a
contentious word in ceramics. The book has noted, debates surrounding the validity of the term reveal ‘tensions about the relative value of the pot, the vessel and the object, and the status between the useful and the useless in the art world. It goes on to observe, the word ‘vessel’ brings to the fore anxieties about craft, its relationship to fine art, the relevance of utility, even accusations that ceramicists are guilty of self- aggrandisement. The debate as to whether ceramics should be regarded as ‘art’ or ‘craft’ . A very thoughtful read. Ash Glazes - Techniques and Glazing from Natural Sources. Third Edition Phil Rogers Hardback Herbert Press 192pp £30
ISBN: 9781789940947
Forever curious and eager to learn new things about ceramics, Phil Rogers constantly tinkered with clay bodies, glaze formulae and approaches to firing. This volume is his seminal work on transforming ash into glaze: an essential text for all potters and ceramicists with additional relevance today with its focus on prioritising the use of natural resources. Ash Glazes
examines the practicalities of collecting and testing wood ashes, demonstrates the process of making them into glazes and offers a step-by-step guide to using them to decorate your pots. Starting with an introduction to the history of ash glazes, then moving on to a wide range of practical advice and methods, the book is enlivened by photographs of the work of potters from around the world
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Emerging Potters – 33
October - December 2023
Jane Flint Her new found commitment to ceramics started about seven years ago when she moved to Stroud. Although Jane’s husband has had a ceramic studio since his early twenties it was this moved that sparked a new interest, which in turn made her join the local Stroud College Classes. One of the advantages of formal classes is meeting and forming friendships with the other students. Not unlike art school training. Having time to explore the world of ceramics has been an inspiration. She commented, “I guess I’m self taught really. I haven’t had any formal art tuition. My initial inspiration was from a visit to The Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, so many amazing and wonderful exhibits that had been treasured by someone at some point “. Influences can be traced to Canopic jars and Kachina dolls . Originally she started making animal totems and raku firing them to have an aged, unearthed look . Although Raku is still used she found it was too delicate for the tiny sculptural details needed to be included. Now the work is a raku clay fired to stoneware, and stains and oxides under a white Matt glaze. Again she is trying to find an aged appearance. With her latest work the interest is in the relationship between animals and humans. In trying to find the human expression in the animal and love how they seem to connect with one another. She is also making a range of Canopic jars depicting the signs of the Zodiac. Her first exhibition was at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, since then she has exhibited at Gallery Sixteen Cheltenham becoming a member of Cotswold Sculptors Association and shown at Miserden House. She is represented by the Form Gallery Nailsworth.
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Emerging Potters – 33 Jane Flint
The white deer and goat figures opposite are called The Guardians. The rabbit is Alice the female human figures The Zodiacs. The vessels are a balance of inlay of oxides.
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October – December 2023
Emerging Potters – 33 Jane Flint
Above: The coloured figures are called The Sisters.
October - December 2023
The pots are coil built , vaguely based on Canopic Jars . The glazes are applied thickly over stains and oxides to give the aged appearance she is aiming for. The heads are all individually sculpted. My workspace is a living/ working area at the back of the house with an extension for the kiln / glaze / drying area Contact details: Web: janeflint.uk Email: Janeflint@me.com Instagram: jane_flint
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Emerging Potters – 33 Potfest
October – December 2023
Potfest 2023 During the success of Potfest events around the country this year it is often overlooked by visitors the enormous amount of work that goes into setting-up a show, which is balanced by the camaraderie of the makers. One such, Wendy Kershaw captured the essence of the shows with her images posted on Instagram. The Potfest organisation has continued to grow, even through recent difficult times due to the continued interest in ceramics by the public, and the resilience of the makers taking part. New shows have been added to the impressive list of annual events. In 2019 both Chris and Geoff Cox the original organisers retired and stepped away from the shows, to be replaced by their son Matt who has made a huge difference to the smooth running of the shows. Covid-19 meant that 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, lockdowns, event cancelations, restrictions and new rules meant cancellations by other organisations. Through good luck and timing, plus a lot of extra planning and shear bloody mindedness, all three Potfests were able to take place. For this feature we invited regular attendee at Potfest Wendy Kershaw to capture in images what it feels like to be on the other side of the stall to the public and what goes into putting a successful show on. Potfest Scotland 9th-11th June was at Scone Palace, Perth. This is Potfest's 26th year in Scotland and their 11th year at Scone – the home of the Stone of Destiny. Among Scone’s grounds, gardens and pinetum visitors were able to talk to the makers, and discover what fuels their passion for clay and buy direct. Potfest Suffolk tool place on 11th/13th August. This impressive event was held in the beautiful parklands adjacent to the magnificent Jacobean manor house, at Haughley Park, Stowmarket. Everyone had a phenomenal weekend, meeting lots of new faces, as well as taking enquiries, making sales and giving support and advice.
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Emerging Potters – 33 Potfest
October - December 2023
Haughley Park was the first venture into the east of England for Potfest, and is located just outside Stowmarket and mid-way between Bury St Edmonds and Ipswich. For the event over 90 makers were selected to showcase a wide and diverse range of work. To be an annual event, visitors can discover functional and decorative ceramic work direct from the makers. Potfest in the Pens 20/22 October was the same format as the Spring event, but with a different set of exhibitors coming just in time for Christmas shopping. It featured the work of the well-established alongside the up-and-coming, in an exciting mix of the sophisticated and the raw power of the next generation, combined in a bustling artisan marketplace. Just potters and public mixing in a down-to-earth setting. It was held under cover to save everyone from the Cumbrian weather at Skirsgill Auction Mart, Penrith.
@wendykershawceramics (Instagram) @potfest.co.uk (Instagram)
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Emerging Potters – 33 Potfest The original ethos of Potfest in the Pens holds firm today and everyone gets the chance to take part. Those wanting to exhibit are entered into a ballot with the first 90-100 names drawn being allocated a space. The same applies for the October dates in Penrith but those who were successful in the June ballot have their names taken out (makers can only exhibit at one of the Penrith shows each year). Likewise, the new Pens event in Melton Mowbray is unselected and operated from a ballot. There are now eight Potfest events distributed through the year from April to November. Spanning the country from the south coast near Brighton, to Perth in Scotland, each show features the work of between 90 -100 potters who exhibit and sell their handmade ceramics. It will be interesting to see how the success of future shows impacts on the world of ceramics. Potfest South East Spring Potfest – Pens Potfest Scotland – Scone Place Potfest by the Lake – Compton Verney Potfest in the Park – Hutton-in-the-Forest Potfest Suffolk – Haughley Park Autumn Potfest in the Pens Potfest in the Pens – Melton Mowbray
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October - December 2023
Emerging Potters – 33 Book Review
October – December 2023
La Science de la Ceramique The French Publisher Pyramyd-editions has produced this bbok in French but hopes in the future to have an English edition. The cost in France is 29,50 euros. La science de la céramique Matériaux / cuissons / technologie Activité en pleine expansion, la céramique n’est pas seulement un art et un artisanat, c’est aussi une véritable science, qui demande de maîtriser des connaissances techniques bien particulières. Artiste et enseignante, Brune Somogyi offre à son lecteur un panorama complet de ce qu’il est nécessaire de comprendre pour créer avec l’argile et les émaux. Réussissant le pari de rendre accessibles des données scientifiques précises, son ouvrage accompagne les céramistes pas à pas dans la conception et la réalisation de leurs pièces. Richement illustrée de schémas didactiques et de photographies inspirantes, La science de la céramique aborde avec rigueur et passion les points suivants : types de terres ; modes de façonnage ; diversité des fours ; atmosphères et étapes de cuisson ; émaux, glaçures et couvertes ; sécurité dans l’atelier ; toxicité des produits et questions environnementales.
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British Ceramics Biennial winner
October - December 2023
Mella Shaw wins the British Ceramics Biennial 2023
Mella Shaw was selected from a 10-strong list of artists, all of whom have work currently on show at this year’s British Ceramics Biennial. The other artists are Rebecca Appleby, Ranti Bam, Copper Sounds, Rebecca Griffiths, Dan Kelly, Elspeth Owen, Carrie Reichardt, Jasmine Simpson and Nicola Tassie.
Alun Graves, Chair of the Award selection panel and the V&A’s Senior Curator, Ceramics and Glass 1900– now commented: ‘Mella Shaw’s ‘Sounding Line’ is a truly exceptional and remarkable work, powerful in concept and majestic in execution. It represents in every aspect an extraordinary feat of making, rendering a work that is both poetic and sublimely beautiful’.
Mella Shaw_Sounding Line film still 2. Whalebone clay sculpture and rope filmed on South Uist image David Evans
Emerging Potters – 33
British Ceramics Biennial winner
October - December 2023
Artist Mella Shaw is named as the winner of the British Ceramics Biennial’s £10,000 Award, the UK’s largest prize for ceramics. Her winning work, Sounding Line is a largescale sculptural installation exposing the overuse of marine sonar and its devastating effect on deep-diving whale species. It is currently on show at the British Ceramics Biennial in Stoke-on-Trent, until 5 November. She is a ceramicist and an environmental activist who uses themes of balance, tipping points, fragility and loss to raise awareness and inspire change.
British Ceramics Biennial 2023, All Saints Church, credit JennyHarper
Sounding Line is about the mass beachings of whales happening across Britain due to the increased use of marine sonar to search for enemy submarines and new oil reserves. With permission from Nature Scotland, she incorporated the bone-ash from the remains of a northern bottlenose whale beached on the west coast of Scotland to create a clay body. This clay was then used to create largescale forms inspired by the shape of a whale’s tiny inner-ear bone. These have been wrapped in ropes with sonar pulses rippling through them, creating an immersive sensory work, which has already proved a hit with visitors to the Biennial. The eighth edition of the British Ceramics Biennial, a six-week celebration of clay in Stoke-on-Trent, runs until 5 November 2023. Free entry.
www.britishceramicsbiennial.com
Mella Shaw
Emerging Potters magazine is published quarterly and can be found on the ISSUU platform. E: paulbailey123@googlemail.com Contributions to the gallery of work from makers and students are welcome and will be included wherever possible on a first come basis. Send to the email address. The editor’s decision is final. © Paul Bailey 2023