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EXHIBITION: Bold, Baked and British | Richard Phethean and John Higgins

Thursday 30 March 2023 11:00
Sunday 23 April 2023 12:30

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Bold, Baked and British

Richard Phethean & John Higgins

Ceramics
The Resident’s Gallery
Thursday 30 March - 23 April 2023

The exhibition can be viewed during Montsalvat opening hours:

Thursday - Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm

EXHIBITION OPENING:

THURSDAY THE 30th OF MARCH

6:30PM - 8:30PM

The Residents Gallery

ALL WELCOME, FREE EVENT - RSVP BELOW TO ATTEND.

The opening will host the artists joining in for a live Q&A from the UK and a raffled artwork.

The exhibition will be officially opened by Jane Annois, a pillar in the ceramic community, and Montsalvat's Art Manager, Lyndel Wischer.

Bold, Baked and British

Two bold ceramic artists from the UK take contemporary terracotta slipware to reveal new and contrasting expressions of the medium.

Richard Phethean from Cornwall and John Higgins from Hertfordshire, were guest artists at the 2020 Pottery Expo. With the onset of Covid restrictions, the ceramics have not been seen for 3 years. It is now time to bring them out of lock down with a special exhibition at Montsalvat.

Both John and Richard are delighted that their work will come to light once again, to be seen by the many followers and friends whom they met while in Australia.

Richard’s work is powerful in its structure and design. He references cubism but also speaks of Minoan influences. His design is complex, contrasting matt and gloss surfaces, masking clean lined areas to reveal the core material of terracotta. He layers pattern over pattern. His pieces are intently considered and Richard is a master of the overall aesthetic of design and form.

In contrast, John is spontaneous, giving his work movement and energy. He explores the tactility of the clay and pushes boundaries. His inspirations come from from his vast travels across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. He aims to capture the colours, form and pattern from his many experiences. John too enjoys the freedom that terracotta provides, the opportunity for bold colour combined with the warmth of the red clay.

Both John and Richard have maintained a strong connection with people they have met while in Australia, particularly the ceramics community here. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with their work once again.