Artists Statement

The inspiration for my work comes mostly from the coastline and countryside around my studio. Ideas for forms are often derived from things that I pick up on the beach. Shells, bits of wood, plastic bottles, in fact just about anything. I walk a great deal and usually find things in the hedgerows to inspire me. I love natural forms like insects, seeds and berries. My studio is right on the cliffs here in south Devon, in a very unspoilt area. The light is wonderful and I find a great deal of intense colour throughout the year. I enjoy the changing seasons as each brings it’s own beauty. The sunrises in February are often spectacular; the wild flowers in May and June create great sweeps of colour across the cliffs, the berries and bramble leaves of autumn provide intense focal points. I take a lot of photographs, both slides and prints and often use these as source material from which to draw. The drawing process for me is a way of distilling the essence of what I have seen, looking for whatever it was that touched my button, in order that I might use it to touch someone else.

Current Work

Richard gained a degree in ceramics from Bristol Art College in 1972 and then taught for eight years before starting his first full time studio. He is a fellow of the CPA and he is well known internationally for his pioneering development of brightly coloured slips and his use of innovative construction techniques. His unique style makes his work highly collectable and he has pieces in major public and private collections around the world. He lectures and exhibits all over Europe and has been the subject of two television documentaries. He won the bronze award at the European Ceramics Competition in Athens, which was held to celebrate the opening of the 2004 Olympic Games.

Current Work Available from:

History and Education

1966-68 'A' Levels - Gibraltar Grammar School
1968-69 Foundation Course - Plymouth College of Art
1969-72 BA Ceramics - Bristol College of Art
1973-81 Head of Art and Deputy Headmaster
Battisborough International School, Devon
1973-81 Part-time studio producing mostly traditional slipware
1981-89 First full time workshop - Yealmpton, Devon
1989 to date Moved to present workshop

Recent Exhibitions

1997
January - Messing With Mud - Plymouth Arts Centre
March - Printemps De Potiers – Bandol, France
May - Ceramics Festival - Gouda Holland
May - First Prize and Public Prize
May - Ceramics Festival – Krefeld, Germany
May - Frechen - Germany
May - Tea Time - Higher Street Gallery, Dartmouth
May - International Biennial of Ceramics Belgium
June - Channel 4 TV - Series of four programmes for "Collectors Lot"
June - Two Man Exhibition - Wilcox Gallery - Stratford
July - Group Exhibition - Juliet Gould - Mevagissy
June - Earth and Fire - C.P.A.Festival, Rufford
August - Gmunden, Austria
September - Keramisto '97 - Milsbeek, Holland
September -Atelier Cirkel - Brasschaat Belgium
November - Curator of Contemporary European Ceramics Exhibition
November - Plymouth Arts Centre
November - Keramiekatelier - Ronny Seeuws – Blareveld, Belgium
December - Craft Potters Association - Christmas Fair Bloxham, Oxford

1998
April - Juliet Gould - Mevagissy
April - Printemps des Potiers – Bandol, France
May - Celebration - Quay Arts - Isle of White
May - Sable Five Gallery - Texas U.S.A
May - International Potters Festival - Gouda, Holland
May - International Keramiek - Swalmen - Holland
June - Artifex Gallery Solo Exhibition - Sutton Coalfield
June - Earth and Fire - C.P.A. Festival - Rufford
August 10th Austrian Ceramics Festival – Gmunden, Austria
September - Keramisto '98 - Milsbeek Holland
September - C.P.A. Fellows Exhibition Mid-Cornwall Gallery
September - Two Man Show - Juliet Gould Gallery, Mevagissy
September - Contemporary British Ceramics, Plymouth Arts Centre

1999
March - Loes & Reinier - 3 Man Exhib.- Deventer, Holland
April - Printemps de Potiers- Bandol, France
May - International Potters Festival - Gouda Holland
May - International Keramiekbeurs –Arnhem, Holland
June - Earth and Fire 5 – Rufford, Nottingham
July - Juliet Gould – Mevagissy, Cornwall
July - Mid Cornwall Gallery - St. Blazey Gate, Cornwall
August - International Potters Festival – Gmunden, Austria
August - Gifts from the Kiln - C.P.A. Fellows Exhibition
August - Metropole Arts Centre - Folkestone
September - Keramisto – Milsbeek, Holland
October - Solo Exhib. Gallery Toon Thijs – Nijmegen, Holland
October - Showcase Exhib.- Contemporary Ceramics, London
October - Two Man Exhibition - Fenny Lodge Gallery, Fenny Stratford
October - Group Exhibition Saltram House, Plymouth
C.P.A.Christmas Festival - Oxford
December Les Arts Du Feu - Rennes, Brittany, France

2000
March - Masterclass - Sedgely, West midlands
April - Solo Exhibition - Gallery Stoelker – Enschede, Holland
April - “Country Lives” 20 minute Television programme about my work and sources of inspiration for Carlton Television
May - Group Exhibition - Juliet Gould, Mevagissy, Cornwall
May - International Potters Festival - Gouda, Holland
June - C.P.A. Summer Festival - Rufford, Nottingham
July - Art in Action - Oxford - Demonstration
August - The National Ceramics Festival - Hatfield House
August - International Ceramics Festival - Gmunden, Austria
September - C.P.A. Group Exhibition - Inspired and Fire, Centre Folkestone
October - C.P.A. Group Exhibition - Choices, Morley Gallery, London
C.P.A. Christmas Festival - Oxford
November - Solo Exhibition and Masterclass - Contemporary Ceramics, Chagford Devon

2001
January - Showcase Exhibition - Loes and Reinier International Ceramics, Deventer, Holland
April - Juliet Gould Gallery - Mevagissy Group Exhibition
May - International Potters Festival, Deissen, Germany
Verandah Gallery – Oxford
June - Ned Heywood Gallery – Chepstow
June - Earth and Fire—Rufford
July - The Snake In The Garden - Two Year International Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Slipware
July - Art in Action - Ceramics Demonstrator Oxford
August - International Potters Festival - Gmunden,Austria
August - Workshop Leader - Die Werkschule fur Kunst und Kulturarbeit, Oldenburg, Germany
September - The Two Richards – Two man exhibition, Tegelen Ceramics Museum Holland
Keramisto 2001 – Milsbeek, Holland
October - C.P.A. Christmas Festival – St Edwards School Oxford
October - Teapot Exhibition - Ned Heywood Gallery - Chepstow
October - Showcase Exhibition – “Potters” Bristol
November - Art in Clay - The Maltings Farnham

2002
March - Beatrice Royal Gallery – Hampshire – Group Exhibition
May - British Potters – Krefeld, Germany
May - Curator – European Ceramics – Mid-Cornwall Galleries
May - Clayart – Denbigh, Wales
June - Earth and Fire – Rufford, Nottinghamshire
June - Nouvelle Figuration Ceramique – Maison de la Ceramique, Giroussens, France
July - Art in Action – Demonstrator, Ceramics
July - Potfest in the Park – Penrith, Cumbria
August - Art in Clay – Hatfield House, Hertfordshire
September - Keramisto 2002 Milsbeek, Holland
September - Demonstrator - South Wales Potters Conference
October - Oxford Studio Ceramics 2002 – St. Edwards Oxford
October - Demonstrator and exhibitor
November - The Southern Ceramics Show, The Maltings, Farnham.

2003
January - Showcase Exhibition – Exeter Museum
May - International Ceramics Festival, Diessen, Germany
June - Earth & Fire Rufford, Nottingham
July - Art in Action – Waterperry House, Oxford - Demonstrator
August - Art in Clay – National Ceramics Festival – Hatfield House.
August - Potfest in the Park - Cumbria
September - Keramisto 2003 International Ceramics Festival - Holland
October - CPA Ceramics Festival - Oxford
November - Surface Tension – Group Exhibition – Devon Guild of Craftsmen
November - Modern Collectibles – Olympia, London

2004
May - International Potters Festival – Diessen- Munich – Germany
May - Group Exhibition- Ceramics in Pairs-Triadtcasten Museum, Diessen, Germany
May - International Ceramics Festival - Swalmen – Holland, Guest Speaker and Demonstrator
May - Braschatt – Belgium – “British Ceramics” – Group Exhibition
June - Earth and Fire –International Ceramics Festival, Rufford, Nottingham, England
July - Bronze Award - 1st European Ceramics Competition, Athens, Greece
August - Potfest in the Park, Hutton in the Forest, Penrith, Cumbria
August - “Slipware” Rufford Craft Centre Nottingham – Group Exhibition
August - National Ceramics Festival, Hatfield House, England
August - International Ceramics Festival – Gmunden – Austria
September - Keramisto 2004 – Milsbeek – Holland
October - C.P.A. Ceramics Fair, St Edwards, Oxford.
October - Masterclass – Kent Potters Association
November - Guest Speaker – Teachers Conference – N.E C., Birmingham, England.
November - Lustre – Group Exhibition, Djanogly Arts Centre, Nottingham University.
November - Southern Ceramics Festival - Farnham
December - Guest Demonstrator - Tel Hai Ceramics Symposium - Israel

2005
March - Solo Exhibition – Paddon & Paddon Eastbourne
May - International Potters festival – Gouda, Holland
May - Clayart, Wales – Guest Speaker
June - Earth & Fire – International Potters Festival, Rufford, Nottingham
July - Art in Action – Waterperry House, Oxford, Demonstrator
July - Potfest in the Park – Penrith, Cumbria
August - Art in Clay – National Ceramics Festival, Hatfield House
September - Atelier Cirkel – Antwerp, Belgium – Masterclass
Sepetmeber - Keramisto – International Potters Festival, Milsbeek Holland
October - Oxford Ceramics Fair – St Edwards, Oxford
November - Lustre – Group Exhibition, Nottingham University
November - The 9th Pottery & Ceramics Show, Farham

2006
March - Group exhibition – Tim Andrews Gallery – Woodbury, Devon
April - Ceramique Europeenne – Giroussens – France
May - Clayart - Denbigh Wales
May - Group Exhibition – Ruthin Arts Centre, Wales
June - International Ceramics Exhibition – Swalmen, Holland
June - Earth and Fire – Rufford
July - Art in Action - Waterperry House, Oxford – Demonstrator
July - Potfest in the Park – Hutton in the Forest
August - Art in Clay – Hatfield House
September - Keramisto – Milsbeek Holland
November - Southern Ceramics Show – Farnham
November - Chiltern and Decoram Potters Guild – Masterclass
November - “Lustre” Djanogly Arts Centre - Nottingham University

2007
April - “ Enfangat” – European Ceramics Festival, Gerona, Spain – Demonstrator
April - Ceramique European – Giroussens, France
May - Clayart Denbigh, Wales
June - Patchings Arts Centre, Nottingham – Solo Show New Work
June - Jealous Holdings Summer Show – New Forest
June - The CPA at Fifty , Demonstrator - Bevere Gallery, Worcester
June - Earth and Fire, Rufford Country Park
July - Art in Action, Waterperry House, Oxford
July - Potfest in the Park – Hutton in the Forest, Penrith
September - Keramisto – Milsbeek, Holland
October - CPA Christmas Fair, St Edwards School, Oxford