Lea says, "I was born in Poole, Dorset in 1960 and attended art foundation course at Bournemouth College in 1978. I studied ceramics at Bournemouth College and at Harrow and in 1982 I gained an HND in Studio Pottery from Harrow.
After college I worked for the slipware potter Mary Wondrausch at Compton in Surrey, gaining experience in throwing and slipware decoration. As a self-employed potter in Guildford I produced a range of earthenware pots decorated with slips and under glazes. The making of my own pots was for some years combined with teaching and technician work in adult education.
In 1999 I came to Devon to work at Dartington Pottery, which was a valuable experience in working in a larger pottery and using a variety of stoneware making processes. After two years I left to again pursue a career as a self-employed potter. In 2002 I set up my own workshop at Coombe Park near Totnes.
I make a wide variety of wheel thrown ceramics in white stoneware clay. All the pots are fired to high stoneware temperatures in an electric kiln.
I enjoy throwing for its immediacy and rhythmic processes and aim for forms that are strong and definite with harmonious relationships between their parts. Colour and pattern are long standing interests. With the decoration I aim to reflect something of the movement of the throwing process and explore and enhance the form. The decoration is usually abstract but may suggest sea or sky, mostly it is about movement and energy.
I have found that oxidised stoneware best suits my expressive style, my aim being to combine the decorative freedom of low temperature ceramics with the depth and texture of stoneware glazes.
The process of exploring and developing new glazes and designs is a fascinating mixture of creativity and science. Research and development is a continuous process, so new designs and glazes evolve alongside the regular production."
Please bear in mind that the range of stock changes daily, and inclusion of a picture on this site does not mean the item is necessarily in stock.
Guildford House Gallery
155 High Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 3AJ
Tel: 01483 444740
Fax: 01483 444742
Email: guildfordhouse@guildford.gov.uk