Dotted jugs, salt-glazed stoneware & Porcelain beads, various sizes, £40-£100
Large bowls, salt-glazed stoneware & Porcelain beads, various sizes, £75-£120
Alistair Young
Alistair Young studied ceramics at Bath Academy of Art before establishing his first studio in Gloucestershire in 1978 producing thrown domestic stoneware. For some time he was involved in developing the studio ceramics course at the Royal Forest of Dean College and organising potters conferences such as The Wheel and the Salt and Soda series. He is the author of the book Setting Up a Pottery Workshop, and has worked on projects with Royal Doulton and Asprey designing and making limited edition salt-glazed pieces. Recent exhibitions include Kreffeld Potters Fair, Germany (2002), Earth and Fire, Rufford Park (2002, 2004 and 2005), Hereford Contemporary Craft Fair (2003, 2004 and 2005), ClayArt Ceramics Fair, Denbigh (2004), Contemporary Ceramics Fair, Tredegar House, Newport (2004), Art in Clay, Hatfield (2005), Salt and Soda, Rufford Craft Centre (2005) and Table Manners, a Crafts Council touring exhibition, also in 2005. He was elected Professional Member of the Craft Potters Association last year.
The potters wheel enables work to be produced in batches or series, and I find that this repetition of forms allows me to develop and refine ideas. I aim for strong, simple forms with clean surfaces, without too many distractions from the 'mark-making' such as throwing rings or turning lines. The shape is often emphasised by the application of porcelain beads or by denting the pot.
Some surfaces are left as bare clay. Later, during the firing, they are covered with a fine layer of salt glaze, contrasting with the high gloss and colour of the applied glazes. These processes and materials reflect my interest in Victorian salt-glaze ware and are the result of many tests and trials.
Alistair Young, 2006