Contemporary Ceramics gallery and shop exhibits the greatest collectable names in British ceramics along with the most up and coming artists of today. Our distinguished makers are all carefully selected members of the Craft Potters Association.
All of our makers are members of the Craft Potters Association and each of them have a story to tell.
Hiro was born in Fukushima, Japan. Due to her father’s work commitments, Hiro had a peripatetic childhood. The constants in her life were her grandmother and being close to nature. However, she was dismayed later on to find that the traditional old buildings from her childhood walks with her grandmother had been demolished. Driven by sadness and nostalgia at the loss of her childhood environment/world in Japan, Hiro creates a link between the present and the past from her memories and imagination.
Taja came over to UK from his native country Japan to study oil painting and settled in Devon over 40 years ago. He was inspired by so many potters in the south west, so he started making pots using his friend’s pottery workshop. He is largely self-taught. He found that slab and coil built pottery suits him the most. He started experimenting with porcelain clay about 20 years ago after being inspired by enormous blue porcelain wall tiles at a new Japanese airport especially the water-like quality of the blue glaze.
After completing an MA in Ceramics from the RCA in 1988, Paul moved to Italy and worked for Gucci on their home and perfume products, then into the world of leather goods and accessories. That seemed a natural progression from clay with his love of form, sculpture and respect for craftsmanship. This led to a 30-year career in Fashion accessories, moving to New York in the early 90s, becoming design director for Calvin Klein, Cole Haan, and COACH amongst others.
Collecting and arranging manmade and natural forms provides Claire with great enjoyment and creative impulse for her making. Crucial to her creative process is her discipline of drawing and keeping a continuous sketchbook of ideas and studies. Sculptural forms have emerged through extensive research and exploration of alternative hand-building techniques. Smoky and painterly surfaces envelop her ceramic forms and are integral to the whole.
Christine-Ann trained at Harrow School of Art and Technology with Mick Casson (1971-73), then worked with David Leach. In London, she started her own workshop as a member of the Barbican Arts Group (1975-83) and in 1976 became a Selected Member of the Craftsmen Potters Association and the Society of Designer Craftsmen. She now works from her home, a converted chapel near Frome in Somerset.
Irena Sibrijns has been a potter for over thirty years. Inspired by an avid interest in 20th century English decorative arts tradition Irena creates exquisite, and entirely unique, ornamental and functional pieces with equal enthusiasm.
