John Evans - 'jev ceramics'

Profile

John Evans came to using clay for artistic expression late in life although, as a lifetime collector of ceramics, he was no stranger to appreciating the medium. First memories of pottery are at the age of 5 when his grandmother said, "We're going to see Mr Jenkins this morning". It turned out that the visit was to the long established Ewenny Pottery, near Bridgend in South Wales. John has vivid memories of the kiln being stoked, presumably with welsh coal. Ewenny pottery since became one of his many collecting fields.

John next touched the clay at Kingston Grammar School (the inevitable ashtray still exists!) but then came a gap of some 40 years before he was lured back. In the meantime qualifying as a Trading Standards Officer and finally retiring in 2002 from the position of Director of Environment at Hounslow Council in West London. John's interest in the arts, particularly the decorative arts of the late victorian and edwardian periods, never diminished. His ceramics collection includes work from this period and the interest also encompassed the early artist potters such as Reginald Wells, George Cox, and the Martin Brothers.

In the 1990's John's interest took him to wanting to know about ceramic process, particularly reduction firing techniques. In part this interest was 'kindled' following his purchase of a lustre ware charger by Alan Caiger-Smith and then reading Alan's classic reference work "Lustre Pottery". Via the usual route of weekend workshops and evening classes, John eventually found his way onto the Ceramics degree course on the Harrow Campus of Westminster University. The traditionally based course took him through all ceramic techniques but finally leaving him hooked on naked raku as an artistic process where he could 'paint' with the smoke using the reduction properties of the raku process (See the technical pages). John's work was particularly enhanced during this period by spending time with the master of this technique, David Roberts, at one of his summer workshops.

John works now from his home which overlooks the sea in Worthing on England's South coast. Images used in his work are often influenced by rough seas which hit the coast-line in winter, the storm clouds which gather, and the many 'found' objects washed onto the beach. John's other home, in the mountains of La Gomera, provides inspiration through the dark, wind-eroded cliff faces and the mountain forests.

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