THE CURATOR'S VIEW - March 2019

From the 1^st March until 2^nd April we are pleased to feature the work of eminent maker Peter Hayes.   

 Peter has been showing at Bevere for a number of years now and we always have high expectation when a new group of pieces is due and we are never disappointed.

His distinctive and original work  has always impresses. Whatever the scale, from small to very large, every piece has a presence and significant visual impact. By building up textured clays combined with burnishing and polishing the surface, Peter achieves opposites of rough and smooth with finishes from weathered clay to sun baked leather. 

Peter has been making for several decades and his creative energy has grown rather than diminished over that time as he continues to develop his work and the materials he uses. A significant indicator of his boundless energy is the initiative he has taken in creating a craft village in India which has contributed to the development of his work as well as the skills of Indian makers.

I am also delighted that this month we are showing the work of two new makers to Bevere.  

 Bronwen Grieves   https://beveregallery.com/artists-makers/bronwen_grieves/ has been quietly and prolifically developing and refining her ideas and process over a 30 year period. Her works strive to balance structure with fluidity, using organic and inorganic forms as a reference point. I have been particularly impressed with the imaginative structure of her pieces and hopefully you will be too!

Sarah Wygas has been producing ceramics for the past 18 years and has a passion for aesthetically pleasing functional pieces. In July 2018, she received a Highly Recommended award from Denby for the pieces shown at the New Designers exhibition.

MAKERS LUNCH GEOFFREY SWINDELL 9th FEBRUARY 2019

It was a great pleasure to start the Makers Lunch programme for 2019 with a most enjoyable and informative two hours with Geoffrey Swindell. All of us  - perhaps unexpectedly in some cases – were fascinated by the visual impact of his small but extraordinarily decorated vessels. It was also refreshing for a maker to show examples of failed pots demonstrating the ups and downs of the development process. It was very clear however that the only pots to emerge for public view and sale were those that met Geoffrey's exacting standards.

Perhaps one of the most revealing aspects of our time together was during a discussion about 'presence' – often associated in our minds with large imposing vessels. Geoffrey used the word 'intensity' to describe his work and it was interesting to hear his response to a question about producing some of his pieces on a larger scale when he said that if he did so they would lose their intensity. All of us who have held one of his fine pots in our hands will acknowledge this I am sure. We agreed that presence was a multifactorial phenomenon involving design, craftsmanship, decoration and context.

Geoffrey has been making over many decades and his creative drive has never declined over that long time. He described in some detail how his distinctive decorative voice emerged and developed often influenced by everyday objects including small children's toys. All of us were amazed that such small and apparently delicate pieces were hand thrown. A broken piece which he brought with him demonstrated the finesse of his potting.

We discussed at some length the changes in the ceramic market and public taste over the last two decades and in some ways the originality of the Swindell voice had maintained interest during these changes.

This lunch demonstrated the value of an intimate small group conversation which enables detailed and stimulating revelations about the rigours of design and making as well as the frustrations. Importantly, everyone is at ease and can contribute freely knowing that their views and questions will contribute to our wider experience during the two hours we spend together.

An excellent and most enjoyable start to the 2019 Lunch Programme.

Stuart Dickens

Ceramic Curator

February 2019

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Graduate Show 2019 Winner

BEVERE GALLERY
12TH ANNUAL GRADUATE SHOW 2019
THE WINNER : ABIGAIL JOHNSON
We are delighted to announce that the winner of the 12th Annual Graduate Show voted by visitors to the exhibition is @ab_ramics Abigail Johnson, who graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2018. From our discussions with people who admired her work, it was evident that the quality of making, decoration and elegant design very much captured the current vogue. It has a timeless quality which will look good at any time and in any context. Abigail's reward will be continuing representation by Bevere and we look forward to seeing her work here again soon.