Robin McClelland

I first handled clay at an evening class in my first year of teaching and have been making pots off and on over the years ever since. I have taught hand building techniques with children and teachers. My ceramics throughout those years were mostly thrown on a wheel. On retiring I decided I wanted to explore the possibilities of hand building using stoneware clay. My constructions are mostly non -functional and often asymmetrical. There is a range of architectural bottle pots and flasks, though I am not sure when a bottle pot becomes a flask. Having made a number of ship pots I have developed the theme further with hull shapes, some small enough to sit in the palm of your hand and all featuring brightly underglazed abstract superstructures. The most recent sit on top of compatible slab built pedestals. I am also making a limited number of raku fired pots. The colour palette is similar but the effects of the firing are different, often bold and always exciting. I exhibit during Oxfordshire Art Week and I am also a member of West Ox Arts.