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Tony
was born in Sunderland in 1961. He studied Ceramics
at Preston Polytechnic where he was awarded a Distinction
from the Society of Designer Craftsmen. He then worked
in the pottery industry in Stoke on Trent, including
2 years as a designer for Coalport China (part of the
Wedgwood group).
He left in 1988 and set up his own studio in Leek, Staffordshire
where he still works.
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He
works in hand thrown and slabbed porcelain which
is decorated using precious metal lustres with multiple
refirings. |
His
pots are based on traditional forms. They have no specific
meaning, but draw on a many sources and cultures creating
a juxtaposition of images in a loose manner.
Technique
is a high priority and the skill has to be evident in
each piece. From the rim, neck, shoulder, belly to the
foot of the pot, there should be harmony and balance.
There
is a playfulness in his work with shapes jumping out
and receding; seemingly flat shapes become dimensional.
Above
all, he strives to achieve pure beauty in each finished
piece.
He
is influenced by contemporary potters but finds that
his background in the ceramic industry has given him
a broader appreciation of ceramics, notably the fine
examples of crystalline glaze produced by Royal Doulton
before the first world war together with their Chang
and Flambe ware.
Ruskin,
Bernard Moore, Moorcroft and Pilkington’s Royal
Lancastrian also inspire him along with many French
potters such as Auguste Delaherche and Clement Massier.
Tony
shows his work at selected events in the UK, mainland
Europe and the USA. His work can be seen in some galleries
in the UK including Beaux Arts, Bath, Primavera, Cambridge
and Albemarle Gallery, London.
Tony now lives and works just outside Leek, Staffordshire
where he lives with his wife Gill and 3 children.
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