Graham describes his creations as “practical pots which are pleasurable to look at”.

 

He became fascinated with pottery when very young, but family, career and running his own business took precedence until the early 90’s, when he joined a pottery evening class at North Oxford College of Art and, having once set clay to wheel, he was hooked!

 

Graham obtained a qualification in ceramics and design at Oxford College of Further Education and has also done pottery evening classes at Banbury College. He has been privileged to work with several master potters, and now has his own pottery.

 

“I just love all the challenges that clay has to offer,” he says. “Creating a workable clay mix; raising the lump of clay on the wheel to the desired height, coaxing it into the shape you want and calming it when it wants to fight back.

 

“Glazing is a whole world of its own – of colour and texture, chemistry and cookery, minerals and metals and bonfire ash. Then the firing; a mixture of temperature and time, alchemy and luck! Long hours driving the kiln up to white heat, balancing gas and air in a manner that pleases the ‘kiln gods’ and later, impatiently waiting for the kiln to cool. Then, finally, the moment of truth – the kiln opening. Sometimes ‘wow’, sometimes ‘hmmm’ and sometimes a feeling of quiet satisfaction.”