Ceramics
Born in Kent, David spent four years at Thanet School of Art, followed by a further three years at the Royal College of Art where he gained 1st Class Honours and a Travelling Scholarship. The next year he was the joint winner of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for Elegant Design. The Design of the Year is now on permanent display at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
For many years David ran his own companies employing up to 14 potters but in the 1980’s he decided to concentrate on working from his studio at home and he now supplies work to over 30 leading galleries from Cornwall to Scotland.
David’s current work is predominantly reduced porcelain with crackle glazes. During his time as a part-time lecturer at Medway College of Design he was responsible for all the technical and theoretical studies in the Ceramics Department, specialising in glaze technology. He produces a range of glazes with different tensions which cause them to crack on cooling, ranging from one which will not crack to one which will readily crack. These are then blended by spraying to achieve contrasting areas of fine and open crackle. Colour is achieved by adding oxides and under-glaze colours to a reluctant crackle glaze and anything up to five different glazes can be applied to one pot.
Artists Statement
I am not knowingly influenced or inspired by anyone or anything. My motivation and inspiration come as a natural progression from the qualities of the crackle and the patterns that are produced. I try to achieve and repeat exciting patterns that come from the blending of up to five different glazes on each pot and with each having a different tension. The forms of the pot and the crackle patterns are very much hand in glove. I try to enhance the form by the placing of the different types of craze and colour.
Ever since I can remember I have been almost obsessed by the interest, richness and importance of the voluptuousness or elegance of the forms whether it be pot or bowl and most important of all the way a form starts and finishes.
I also have almost a fetish on necks and tops. I do not do a lot of drawing as I think there is nothing to compare with experimenting in the round so most of my exploring is done on the wheel.
As this is not a science I need to take copious notes
of what I do. The same applies to logging the firing as the actual temperature
reached is critical to a few degrees and the time taken to reach that
temperature is also very critical the success or failure relying heavily
on this. I kiln sit for the last ¾ hour to give undivided attention
to this. Most of the time up to 50% coming out of the firing is not acceptable
but re-glazing and re-firing with a more reluctant or finely crazing glaze
has a fir rate of success. Overall, I suppose I have between 10% and 15%
losses which under the circumstances is not bad.