During a recent holiday in Yorkshire we visited the Centre for Ceramic Art in the Yorkshire Art Gallery in York. The Centre opened in 2015 after two and a half years in the planning and creation, and an increase in the exhibition space by 60% with judicious alterations. The ever-growing collection is a home for over 5,500 objects representing over 600 artists from the early 20th century to the present day, The centre has, at its heart, the donated or lent collections of Eric Milner-White, W A Ismay, Henry Rothschild and Anthony Shaw.
The term 'studio pottery' was first coined by Bernard Leach who is widely regarded as the father of the studio pottery movement in the UK. The definition implies the work of a single or small group of artists working in a studio and undertaking all the aspects of production. The movement was a reaction against the increasing mass production of goods in the Victorian age and grew out of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century. Bernard Leach established the Leach Pottery in St Ives, Cornwall on his retrun from Japan with Shoji Hamada.
The Centre consists of a Rainbow Gallery room in which pots of various hues are arranged in a glass display case which runs the length of one side of the room. The unlabelled pots are arranged in tonally similar groups. In front of the cases are interactive boards which replicate the images of the pots on display. These images are, however, tagged with the description and maker, where known, of each object. Here are some pictures that show this arrangement (apologies for the shadows - it was a sunny day when visiting).
In another room are display cases dedicated to the specific artists and makers as curators. Here are some of those, more traditionally labelled.
Also in the gallery are some recent acquisitions as donated by Friends of the Art Gallery.
This is bronze Irish Wolfhound, Burt, made by Sally Arrup (1930-2015), a notable animal artist donated by her family in 2012.
This is a lidded vessel called Paradise Lost by Stephen Dixon (b1957) which is one in a series depicting the US led invasion of Iraq, made in 2008. In it Tony Blair appears as the Duke of Wellington, also depicted on the lid of the vessel wearing a teacup.
This is a dish by potter Robert Brumby (b1934) made in 1970 working from his studio in the Shambles in York itself. He taught at York School of Art and became Head of York College in 1990.
Here is a watercolour by Ed Kluz (b. 1980) created in 2012 which depicts Exhibition Square where York Art Gallery is situated. It involves some artistic licence in moving the fountain and statue of William Etty which stand outside the Gallery!
Panel of Small Tiles (1926-9), above, was made by Bernard Leach (1887-1929) but was in poor condition needing regrouting and strengthening. The Friends funded the restoration to the tune of £1900 and it is now on display,
Finally a more modern piece - Twelve Apostles by Loretta Braganza made in 2015 and inspired by twelve towering rocks on the coast between Adelaide and Melbourne named after Christ's disciples.
As you can see there are many inspiring pieces here so a trip to York is well worth it, and there are many more treasures to be found there!
