Capriolus

UK - John D. Ward - superb handbuilt pot

John Ward (1938) is regarded as one of Britain's great potters. Born 1938 in Islington, London, studied at East Ham Technical College and gained a Diploma in Art and Design (Ceramics) at the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. He had two workshops in South East London during the 1970s - at Anerley and Charlton - before moving to his studio in Pembrokeshire in Wales in 1979. There is no reference book on contemporary ceramics which does not feature his work. His working method is to hand build by pinching out a base and adding flattened coils of clay to produce hollow forms; sometimes altered at the leather-hard stage by cutting and rejoining to create ridges and grooves between curving surfaces. Finally the work is scraped and partly burnished with a pebble. Glazes are applied by a combination of pouring, spraying and painting, sometimes with painted decoration beneath. All glazes are matt and most pots are twice-fired in an electric kiln. The main influences on his work are simple forms of ancient pre-glaze pottery from China and Egypt, early Cypriot pottery and early Persian bowls. More recent influences have been the legendary potters, the late Hans Coper and the late Dame Lucie Rie. His work is in too many public collections to list here but include: Museum of Modern Art, New York, Museum Bellerive, Zurich, Pennsylvania State Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, Cardiff Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum. 

The handbuilt pot which we are offering here is of an amazing beauty by its simplicity. 

Object number

SA016

State

For sale

Date

1970 - 1980

Signature

JW impressed

Provenance

coll. Schipper-van Lottum

Condition

mint

Measurements

height 15 cm; diam. 14 cm

Price

€ 475,-