Peter Beard

Peter’s work has always been inventive and intuitive. He is constantly sketching and experimenting with new forms and processes. His forms are strong and simple but have complex surfaces which draw the viewer to look more closely. Each piece works as a whole, combining harmony of form and pattern.  His influence is mainly nature and landscape.

Peter makes thrown and hand-built pieces in oxidised stoneware, fired to 1280°C. Using combinations of matt and semi-matt glazes and coloured clays, Peter uses techniques of layering glaze and painting patterns with wax between layers of glaze; the wax acting as a resist between the layers. These built up layers prior to firing create textural surfaces in a range of pastel shades and some stronger colours. This is a meticulous process which creates complex patterns and textures within the glazes.

Some surfaces are ground back to reveal the intricate patterns within the structure. Peter also works in bronze and some stone, in addition to ceramics.