Laurence McGowan

I began potting full time in 1974 after an earlier career in cartography. I was lucky and received a workshop training. First with Pru Greene at Alvingham and then with Alan Caiger-Smith at Aldermaston pottery. If I am noted for anything, it is probably for my brushwork decoration. For this I employ the traditional majolica method of painting various mixtures of oxides and stains on the pot's coating of unfired, opacified glaze. Although usually associated with earthernware, I make use of the recently available high firing colours and use the method on stoneware fired to 1260c.  I regard pottery making and decoration as a craft. I ,therefore, hope to be considered a craftsman. That is to say, someone who finds elegant solutions to practical problems. Likewise, I consider decorating to be a practical discipline. I regard my wheel-thrown pots as 3 dimensional patterns, with their central axis of symmetry and mirror imaged profiles, to which I apply 2 dimensional brush patterns with the primary purpose of enhancing, reflecting and amplifying the pot's form and character to which they are applied and hopefully give pleasure to the user. I also regard decoration as an adventure, as an exploration of that universal within us all.