Our featured Artist Member for September is John Kershaw
John comes from a family of engineers going back several generations, so it was natural for him to follow suit. However, he made an unenthusiastic engineer, and after several years teaching he went back to college and gained a place on the 3D course at Manchester College of Art where he was introduced to clay for the first time.
After graduation, he set up his own pottery in Windermere in 1972.
For many years John made functional domestic ware firstly in earthenware and then stoneware. Later, he began to work more freely and respond to the material and the pots that he liked, particularly from the ancient past, and particularly primitive pottery – work made by simple means and quick techniques. For many years he also made raku pottery, mainly slab-built which he fired in his garden at home.
His work now is still mainly made on the wheel from a workshop at his home. John likes to work in a quick gestural way whether throwing or applying colour. He uses a technique of applying powdered ball-clay to the freshly thrown work to create strong textures.
Clay inspires me, I could never start with complete ideas in my head. With clay you can work on it and it shows the way either in the hand or on the wheel. I like the physicality of handling the clay.Classical Greece inspired me when I travelled there, the beauty and the light and the sculpture and ceramics.
The process of age I like, what once was busy and useful becomes a peaceful memory of a time. I like playing with that idea of age and time in my work.
I used to have a spacious studio and gallery in Windermere. It was originally part of a coaching yard. Now I work from home in what was a small garage with a peaceful view of the garden.
I was always quite restless so although I spent most of my time making functional work, I tried many techniques. I used to make Raku, It wasn’t financially viable but I found it fulfilling
Many potters have inspired me but one that I have always admired, a contemporary, was the late Richard Batterham.
I always aspired to make good functional pottery, he was a marker for having the skill and temperament to make lovely useful pottery throughout his time!
A collection of John Kershaws work is available to purchase in the gallery