“For my debut exhibition I chose a piece that would challenge my throwing skills and decorating techniques. The bowl form is one I have had little prior experience of and the delicate brushwork allowed me to bring my illustrative skills to a new medium. The Porringer, sometimes called ‘Z bowl’, jumped out at me as classic Leach ware, reminding me of the pots I grew up around.

 I started experimenting with the bowl in a range of sizes, with shape variations that retained the essence of the original. Many of these pots became canvases to experiment with using different slips, cobalt wash, iron brushwork and glazes. I practiced with many brushes to hone the ‘Z’ aspect of the piece, choosing to focus on the interpretation that it represents a ‘bird on a branch’. This felt more illustrative and gave a more expressive direction to the brushwork.”

About Callum