Ceramic Celebration
South Wales Potters is one of the largest groups of professional and hobby potters and ceramicists in the UK. The group has more than 100 members, based in South, Mid and West Wales, over the water in the South West and the Heart of England and even some working abroad. Members include full-time potters, sculptors and students. SWP organise a full programme of events for members including demonstrations, ‘skill-share’ sessions and wood-kiln firings from our brick kiln. Members also receive the popular Shards newsletter. The group has a busy exhibitions programme, giving members an opportunity to showcase and sell their work. South Wales Potters welcome everyone interested in ceramics, whether you are a maker or not. www.southwalespotters.org.uk
Ceramic Celebration Fifty Years of South Wales Potters
Daniel Boyle, Jason Braham, Rebecca Buck, Mary Cousins, Patia Davis, Julie Dooley, Joe Finch, Christine Gittins, Frank Hamer, Janet Hamer, Walter Keeler, Liz Lawrence, Trevor Lillistone, Alison Lochhead, Ian Rylatt, Micki Schloessingk, Jeremy Steward, Gill Tennant-Eyles and Peter Wills.
Dedicated to the memory of Janet Hamer 1932 – 2014
Fifty years of South Wales Potters As a student at Harrow
skills. It became a magnet to draw people
School of Art in 1959, I
in and enthuse them, and it grew into the
remember Mick Casson
old established institution we now know
enthusing
as the Craft Potter’s Association.
and
me
Madoline to
come
along and help refurbish the premises
This happened in London. Potters and
in Lowndes Court in Soho that was to
pottery enthusiasts around the United
become the first Craftsman Potters Shop.
Kingdom could join, but meetings to share
They were all there: Ray Finch, Rosemary
techniques and ideas were happening too
Wren, David Eeles, Murray Fieldhouse,
far away for them to regularly participate.
Mick and many more of those post-war
It was a group in South Wales who were
pioneers of Studio pottery. It was such a
the first to set up a regional association,
significant initiative, uniting potters in
with broadly similar ambitions to the
their determination to establish a market
CPA but with an all embracing attitude
and showcase for their work in the capital,
to membership - amateur, professional,
and at the same time draw together as a
enthusiast, collector - all were welcome
community to consolidate and share their
to share and contribute. The South Wales
Potter’s Association acted as a catalyst,
of skill, and the rich creative opportunities
nurturing a community of “clay people�
in making pots for use. In its fiftieth year
who support one another and share their
the SWP faces new challenges. Is it, for
knowledge, abilities and their passion for
example, possible for regional groups
ceramics and pottery.
like ours to mitigate the dramatic loss in ceramics provision in higher education?
British potters are a particularly generous
Could we attract younger members with
fraternity, and inevitably potters in other
ambition to become professional makers,
regions followed the SWP in forming
and help them find mentors, and develop
associations. Times have changed though,
their skills and talents?
as has the pottery business itself; decades of degree level training for ceramics
In the early days there was energy to
students, the luring of ceramists into
spare, members were bowled along by
the territory of conceptual art and the
enthusiastic movers and shakers who
academic concerns for contextualising
organised events and meetings despite
what we do have drawn many young
their busy lives. This kind of driven
makers away from the creative liberation
enthusiasm seems less urgent and less
focused now (not just in SWP) we are no longer pioneering and pottery now has a far broader audience. We have also experienced the burgeoning - and the decline - of high level and high quality pottery and ceramic education. The vacuum that provoked our foundation has to some extent been filled, so perhaps we have to re-assess how we focus our energy in today’s pottery environment: who are we, what do we need and where are we going? There is so much to celebrate in South Wales Potter’s fiftieth year, however perhaps it is time to take a breath before we plunge into the next half century! Walter Keeler Honorary President, South Wales Potters April 2014
‘South Wales Potters welcomes professional potters, ceramic sculptors, part-time potters, teachers and students. Activities offer members opportunities to increase an awareness of ceramics and develop practical skills. Frequent exhibitions and discussions are arranged.’ From ‘Breath of the Dragon’ an exhibition of South Wales Potters at the Barbican in 1992
Fifty Years of South Wales Potters Moira Vincentelli
Early years and on going values Founded in 1964, the Craftsmen Potters of
It was a promising start and an exciting time
South Wales as they were originally known,
for young potters. There were opportunities
are the first regional group of the Craft
for art teachers to introduce pottery into
Potters Association (founded 1958). By
the curriculum, evening classes were being
the first AGM in January 1965 they could
set up and rural properties were available
report that they now had fifty members, a
at an affordable price. In 1966 the Severn
number of whom were married couples. In
Bridge was opened, car ownership was
the first year the pattern had been set with
spreading and there was a sense of a new
regular meetings – monthly in those early
prosperity in South Wales.
years, including visits, a clay digging event, a criticism evening, a hand-built pottery day
The constitution stated that the society’s
and an exhibition at the Howard Roberts
aim ‘was to raise the standard of pottery in
Gallery in Cardiff. They had achieved local
South Wales’. That word standard, with its
press coverage and even a four-minute
echo of Leach’s influential essay ‘Towards
report on the BBC.
a Standard’ in A Potter’s Book, makes a frequent appearance in the early annals
of the society. Perhaps it has never really
In the spirit of the new informal approach
gone away. The society has always had an
of the sixties, the minutes report that they
open membership policy but exhibition
have all agreed to use first names when
selection has sometimes been contentious.
addressing each other.
Mick Casson (Honorary Vice President)
usual President, Secretary and Treasurer the
commenting on an early exhibition praises
other two officers on the committee in the
the show for ‘imaginative ideas’ but urges
early days were, significantly, an Editor and
the potters ‘–‘to raise the standard higher
an Exhibition Officer. They are an indication
and to get that professionalism that is so
of the importance of both writing and
hard to achieve’. Years later, in 1981, the
exhibiting that was at the heart of activities.
exhibition officer, Phil Rogers, expresses
This was before Ceramic Review had started
some disappointment at the exhibition
and Pottery Quarterly (1954-1991) would
that year at Newport and defends the
have been the only publication available to
stringent selection by Wally Keeler,
young potters. The early newsletters contain
‘we cannot embarrass these people by
a lively range of items with some long articles:
showing work that is not up to standard’
Frank Hamer describes the geology of South
– that word again.
Wales including a map showing rock types,
Apart from the
summaries of lectures by Bernard Leach
A levels in pottery, and pottery teacher
and Michael Casson, Barrie Naylor on his
training. Frank Vining, an active member
extensive tour in Europe visiting potteries
and head of ceramics at Cardiff, describes
taking in the Kähler Pottery in Denmark and
the new Dip AD and the ceramics course in
La Borne and Vallauris in France. A visit to
Cardiff, and Mick Casson writes about the
the ceramic collection in Aberystwyth is
new vocational course at Harrow. There is a
described in detail with drawings of some of
strong feeling of commitment and purpose
the Hamada and Leach pots. On the lighter
and the growing place of ceramics at all
side there were also poems, cartoons and
levels of education.
crosswords. Trevor
Worton
(President
1969-74)
Education
organised an exhibition in Cardiff of schools
Newsletter 8 is particularly long, running to
pottery from all over the UK. Another early
26 pages with news of the recently opened
venture, clearly aimed at teachers, was the
Craft Potters shop in London. The main part,
creation of a slide pack of nine slides to be
however, is a special feature on education
sold at ÂŁ1.10 shillings.
with articles on clay and children, GCE &
In Newsletter 9 we find a reference to a
along and stressed that ‘NFS’ tags were not
‘teach in’, a topical word in 1968, suggesting
very welcome.
exactly that sense of grass roots community action. The day work shop at Caerleon was
By 1967 they are planning an exhibition at
attended by 60 people - 33 members and
the CPA in London. The summer exhibition
25 non-members including some students.
at Llantarnam Grange ran for two weeks
The message was spreading.
in July and was covered in the Newsletter 9 by various lengthy critiques of the show
Exhibitions
often going through maker by maker. It
Selling exhibitions have always been an
suggests the pioneering nature of writing
important part of the activities of the
about pottery and the struggle to improve
society. They were financially important but
and achieve good work and learn from each
were also an opportunity to learn through
other. With sales of £108 they managed to
showing and discussion of work. Prices in
balance the books and even make a small
the early days ranged from under £1.00
profit. In September there was a further show
to 12 guineas. The newsletter entreated
of ‘Individual Ceramics’ at the Arts Council
members to urge their friends to come
Gallery in Cardiff. The lively 60s-styled
catalogue cover in turquoise, terracotta and black lists 116 exhibits by eight makers with brief biographies and a glossary of terms in the xeroxed interior pages. In Newsletter 9, the show was reviewed suggesting that: ‘the standard had improved, some were honest, some were not, a few were derivative, others were struggling self-consciously, others struggling successfully’. Such resonant words suggest the moral battleground of 1960s studio pottery. Exhibitions were stepped up after the 1990s with shows at the Garden Festivals, International Potters Festival and other venues in Wales and beyond. In July 1999 South Wales Potters had an exhibition at
the Ceramics Millennium in Amsterdam.
opportunity. In 1990 South Wales Potters ran a selling and demonstration week at
Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre has played
the Gateshead Festival and two years later
an important background role in the history
undertook a joint venture with North Wales
of South Wales Potters and hosted numerous
Potters at Ebbw Vale working with the
exhibitions and events, it is surely fitting
garden designer, Stella Caws, Emlyn Brick
that in its fiftieth year the 2014 exhibition
and Barters Farm Nursery.
opens here.
feature was an enormous brick sculpture
The central
of a mythical beast by Gwen Heeney. It Potters Gardens
was a successful selling event and engaged
Between 1984 and 1992 the Conservative
the public over eight weeks with pottery
government promoted a biennial series of
demonstrations. The garden won a Gold
garden festivals with the aim of reclaiming
Medal and sales ran to over ÂŁ36,000. On
industrial sites left by the demise of heavy
the strength of this the following year they
industries. Ebbw Vale was chosen as the
created a garden at the Stuttgart Garden
final site in the series.
Ned Heywood, as
Festival, a town twinned with Cardiff, for
marketing officer, was quick to recognise an
which they won a bronze medal. A further
garden was launched in 1994 at Hampton
and a fountain by Pauline Ball. The project
Court Palace on the theme of Earth, Air,
involved coordination and collaboration
Fire and Water. Ten members were there to
from many people in the society. On-
install 28 two-foot square individual tiles.
going care is always a problem and in 2012 a volunteer group went in to revive
A final venture in this field was the
its overgrown appearance. Fortunately the
Millennium Garden with Pauline Paterson,
major sculptural works were still in place.
Carole Longhurst and Colin Horseman taking a lead on the organisation with
From Potters Camps to Ceramic Festival
Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre. As ever
North Wales Potters was founded in 1980
South Wales potters were able to take on an
and soon the two potters groups were
expensive project raising a substantial grant
working together. The first joint camp
of ÂŁ20.000 from the Arts Council on a
was held at Tredegar House in 1983 and,
budget of ÂŁ45,000. Designed as a sensory
although preceded by a month of South
garden there were tile panels made by
Wales rain, the event seemed to go very well
members and others made in conjunction
in spite of some last minute hitches, not
with local schools, a ceramic totem pole
least the flooded grounds. They managed
to construct and fire four different kilns (salt-glaze, wood-fired, propane gas and raku) and Michael Casson established his role as a great master of ceremonies. Wally Keeler built a catenary arch salt-glaze kiln, Alan Barrett-Danes held a workshop on lustres and Siddig El N’goumi demonstrated burnished ware inspired by his Sudanese heritage. Phil Rogers ran an auction. This was followed in 1987 by the first International Potters Camp at Aberystwyth. It was deemed to be such a success that it became a regular biennial event. Alan Hewson, Eve Ropek and the team at the Arts Centre were enthusiastic supporters and eventually became part of a tri-partite
arrangement with North and South Wales
the familiar calls for members to be more
Potters. In spite of occasional heated
active, to be willing to hold office etc. The
committee meetings over the years the
departing Chairs or Presidents look forward
event went from strength to strength
to getting their life back after a few years
and, after 1995, was sold out months
when the phone never stops ringing. But
in advance. It has to be considered one
probably like most societies a small number
of the greatest achievements of potters
of people kept everything going, often
in Wales. Significantly by 1997 the title
supported by partners who quietly offered
migrated first to Potters Festival and then to
some extra help with printing, typing,
Ceramics Festival. The ‘beards and sandals’
photocopying, stuffing envelopes, driving
image of ‘pottery’ turned into the more
visiting speakers etc. By the new century
all-encompassing term ‘ceramics’ and the
the society had established a website,
‘camp’ became a festival.
now a smart site with good information about members and their work. In 2008
Newsletters and Shards
the society got its new logo designed by
Reading between the lines of newsletters and
Maggie White. In the following year Shards
its successor, Shards, one sees all too well
went into colour but was now reduced to
four rather than six a year, resisting an Arts
writing was also a bonus to the society and
Council Wales suggestion that they go over
its ability to produce newsletters especially
to an electronic newsletter.
in the early days at a time when little else was available for incipient studio potters.
People
Janet was an early newsletter editor but
It would be impossible to mention in a
both supplied articles and much more. They
short article all the people who have been
were always there to step in when help was
important to South Wales Potters. Major
needed. In 2005 when members turned up
figures such as Michael Casson were always
to a meeting at Llantarnam Grange, only to
there to support, Walter Keeler, Phil Rogers,
find that the door had been vandalised and
Frank Vining appear regularly in the pages
they were unable to get in, the only solution
of the newsletter and later Shards. There
was to adjourn to Frank and Janet’s house.
is, however, no question that two names
In 2008, Frank was keeping up to date and
stand out among all these – Frank and Janet
thoughtfully writing about how pottery can
Hamer. In fifty years since its foundation
be more green and in 2012 Janet wrote an
they were always there in key roles. Their
article on copper and copper oxide. The
commitment to technical research and
same issue contained a jokey crossword
from Frank something that had not been
10 Potters in Wales an exhibition of thrown
seen since the early days! It is easy to see
pottery - all by men. Nobody questioned
how their joint abilities to research and
such choices at that time when most of the
write on technical aspects of pottery turned
ceramics teachers in institutions of higher
into The Potters Dictionary of Materials
education were male. By contrast, from the
and Techniques first published in 1975
very start South Wales Potters was a place
and by 2004 in its fifth edition. As makers
that welcomed women and recognised
their work has always had its place but as
their contribution. Therese ‘Paddy’ Jones
writers and organisers they have been giant
was a pottery teacher, founding member,
figures. In 2005 they received a Life Time
treasurer and sometime editor of Shards.
Achievement Award at the International
Pauline Paterson is another name that that
Ceramics Festival, the only Welsh potters
can be found in relation to organising and
who have been recognised in that way. Sadly
initiating projects. An active member of the
as I write this I receive news that Janet has
International Ceramics Festival Committee
died. An era has surely passed.
and for some time its Chair, she was also an initiator of Craft Forum Wales, the Brecon
In 1978 the Welsh Arts Council arranged
sensory garden, the Irish/Welsh project Feile
Clai and, no doubt, much more. In 1998,
craft officer of Arts Council Wales, Roger
the potter and writer Rosemary Cochrane
Lefevre, worked tirelessly for the sector and
stood down after fifteen busy years on the
exhibitions and grant opportunities were
committee. In 1968 the numbers of male and
increased. Student numbers expanded and
female members was roughly equal. Thirty
galleries showing ceramics in a professional
years later in 1998 there were 74 women
way emerged. It had a positive impact on
and 37 men in the organisation of whom 48
South Wales Potters but, in some ways, the
were full-time potters. South Wales Potters
greater institutional support at all levels
has offered good opportunities to women.
can obviate the strong collaborative, grassroots ethos of the earlier period.
Conclusion Over the last fifty years the craft scene in
Are we looking at the life span of a movement?
Wales has flourished especially in ceramics.
Ceramics has virtually disappeared from
The influence of the Crafts Council and
schools and separate courses in higher
publications such as Crafts and Ceramic
education have also melted away, but things
Review raised the profile. In the last two
move on and ceramics are now part of the
decades of the twentieth century the
post-disciplinary scenario of contemporary
art where artists and makers can pick up and learn media as needed and, if they can’t do it themselves, they can collaborate with someone who can. Nevertheless there will always be a place for working in clay, making by hand, and using tools and technology. South Wales Potters has adapted and responded to the changing times and leaves a legacy for the future. The supportive, community spirit of South Wales Potters still has a place fifty years on. Moira Vincentelli Emeritus Professor in Art History and Curator of Ceramics, Aberystwyth University
Julie Dooley, porcelain coloured with stains, oxides and copper wire
Ceramic Celebration An exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the South Wales Potters presenting work from nineteen of the group’s current members. Daniel Boyle, Jason Braham, Rebecca Buck, Mary Cousins, Patia Davies, Julie Dooley, Joe Finch, Christine Gittens, Frank Hamer, Janet Hamer, Walter Keeler, Liz Lawrence, Trevor Lillistone, Alison Lockhead, Ian Rylatt, Micki Schlawsingk, Jeremy Steward, Gill Tennant-Eyles and Peter Wills. The exhibition presents at the following venues in 2014/15 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre
31st May – 12th July
Church House Designs
19th July – 23rd August
Craft in the Bay
4th September – 2nd November
National Ceramic Archive, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
8th November – 10th January
Daniel Boyle, Salt glazed stoneware
Jason Braham, Salt glazed stoneware
Rebecca Buck, ‘The Edge VIII’, Black Architectural Clay
Mary Cousins, ‘Tea for two’, Audrey Blackman porcelain, glazed in opaque light turquoise
Patia Davis, ‘Square plate’, Glazed earthenware
Julie Dooley, Coloured porcelain
Joe Finch, Wood fired stoneware
Christine Gittins, ‘Three tall vessels on a plinth’, Bisque-fired in an electric kiln and then saggar-fired using a gas-fired raku kiln
Frank Hamer, reduced stoneware with paper cut-outs under layers of coloured slips in a resist technique
Janet Hamer, oxidised stoneware
Walter Keeler, ‘Extended jug ‘, Lead glazed earthenware
Liz Lawrence, ‘ Lattice in Ochre & Black’ , Porcelain
Trevor Lillistone, Stoneware with turquoise volcanic glaze
Alison Lochhead, ‘Mine memory’, Ceramic, cast iron and mine rocks
Ian Rylatt, ‘Voyager teapot’, Stoneware
Micki Schloessingk, ‘Carafe’, Wood fired, salt glazed stoneware
Jeremy Steward, ‘Teapot’, Black stoneware, ash glaze
Gill Tennant-Eyles, ‘Shoreline vessel’, Reduction gas fired crank clay, finished with oxides, slips and celedon glaze
Peter Wills, Porcelain with white and wood ash glazes, Port Eynon slip
“Ceramic Celebration” A South Wales Potters Touring Exhibition 2014/15. The South Wales Potters would like to thank Moira Vicentelli & Walter Keeler for their articles in this catalogue as well as all the makers who have allowed us to exhibit their work in “Ceramic Celebration” Exhibition Photography: Martin Avery Design: Hillview Design Catalogue produced by Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre. Text ©The Authors and South Wales Potters 2014 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre St.David’s Road Cwmbran Torfaen NP441PD T: +44(0)1633 483321 E: info@lgac.org.uk W: www.lgac.org.uk Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre is part of the Arts Council of Wales portfolio of Revenue Funded Organisations. Registered Charity no: 1006933 Company Limited by Guarantee no: 2616241 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre is funded by the Arts Council of Wales, Torfaen County Borough Council and Monmouthshire County Council. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without written permission from the publisher.