Of the crowds of people who flock in to the Victoria and Albert Museum very few find their way to the top, sixth floor. Their loss. Who knows why I do this, but again I found myself unable to stop taking photographs. So then I thought I’d simply record the work that has some resonance for me. Either I’ve met the potters, have admired their work all my life or I’m simply grabbed by the skill, colour or excellent idea. So I have compiled an album of these pieces. Sit back and give yourself a slide show and see if you agree with my selections. If you’ve been to the V&A Ceramics galleries perhaps you’ll be astonished that your favourites are not included. Bear in mind that my afternoon simply covered Twentieth Century studio and factory ware, mainly British. There are several more galleries dealing with other areas of the world and different civilizations. I wonder when I’ll get there next.
In the album you’ll find that the photo of each pot is usually followed by a photo of its gallery description. It’s quicker and easier for me to take that than to make notes all day, but sadly some of the labels aren’t clear – I probably moved. Sorry.
https://picasaweb.google.com/112208740085943894765/VACeramics
A couple were interestedly studying pots in the British studio pottery gallery, so I asked them whose work they liked. He replied that they were looking for work by his father. What a nice surprise to find that I was chatting to Harry and May Davis’ oldest son Russell and his wife Eryl. I explained that I live in Vancouver and that Harry Davis is fondly remembered for having inspired the BC Potters Guild membership during a workshop there in 1966. He was also back in BC in October 1978 and at the Banff Fine Arts Centre in 1979. The photo here shows Russell proudly pointing out his father and mother’s two pots. The first teapot on the left is by Geoffrey Whiting who taught Edmund de Waal. I’ve also included this group in my album above.
Here is a link to the copy of ‘The Western Potter’ in which the Harry Davis workshop is described. It also gives an amusing sample of activities within BC’s pottery community at the time.
http://arch-bc.org/uploads/r/potters-guild-of-british-columbia/6/1/612/WesternPotter1966_5.pdf
Russell Davis sent me a nice email after I got back to Canada saying he’d checked my website, that he likes my work and especially the salt glaze pieces. He and Eryl live in Herefordshire, just down the road from Walter Keeler, so that’s fun! He doesn’t have a website himself but tells me his passion is building cellos. Skilled craftsmanship obviously runs in the family. Here is a link he sent me to a Youtube video he made of himself, playing a recently completed cello. Take a look.
youtube.com/watch?v=JnEFB5AWvps
I do hope that there is more to my father and his work over forty years than having just taught Edmund de Waal!
Of course there is, David. I merely mentioned the connection to E de W because I’d been following him and his work lately. But your father’s elegant teapots were an inspiration to me back in the seventies when I was starting out as a potter. They were, to me, the epitome of simplicity and good design. My apologies.