GALLERY

MALCOLM LAW

The themes are based on life, often including mythological figures in anachronistic situations. Nautical themes including Neptune and Britannia are frequently used as central figures, although more recently Nelson, with his bicentenary last year, began to figure more prominently. My satisfaction comes from the viewer’s realisation of the humour in my ceramics. This may be obvious, though sometimes the viewer has to look closely to appreciate the subtle comedy.

Neptune, or Poseidon if you prefer, may not be proficient on the piano but if he was, would Britannia have accompanied him on her mandolin? And wouldn’t the sea water play havoc with the tuning? Many of the figurative ceramic pieces contain a timepiece in the composition – the time – always four o’clock – tea time!

Most of my work is “one-off” although themes may be revisited with the same players but interpreted differently. The clay I use is St. Thomas’ Body oxidising and more recently T Material with the occasional use of Craft Crank. The work is hand built using slabbing, coiling and modelling techniques. The tools include found objects, bits of old pens, an old scalpel, and some are specially carved from pieces of wood and the handles of old paint brushes. Underglaze is used to colour the white work and black iron oxide and manganese oxide are used to detail the others. All work is biscuit fired to 1000°C, and fired to stoneware at 1240°C in an electric kiln. Gold and platinum lustres are applied to pick out points of detail which then requires a third firing to 740°C.

I have been a member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen since 1988, and was chairman from 1992 to 1994 and from 2001 to 2004.

My ceramic sculptures are in collections in Australia, Spain and America. I took part in the West Country Craftsmen UK-Japan 1999-2000 exchange exhibition at Nagi Moca Museum of Contemporary Art and other venues in South West Japan.

My work has appeared in many of The Devon Guild of Craftsmen exhibitions and in The Rooksmoor Gallery, Bath as well as other galleries around the UK.