Richard Winfield

On leaving school, I undertook a degree course in geography. It took many years for me to realise that I have always been fascinated by maps and the depiction of information in a generalised way. So, for example, a map summarises spatial information in a simplified way and a soil or rock sample summarises a series of geological or historical events. It is the beauty revealed by this summation which seems to interest me.

After studying ceramics in more recent years, graduating from Bath Spa University's Ceramics course in 2004, these early impressions have been revealed. I now specialise in making plates and platters with decoration inspired by these influences.

Pieces range from 25cm up to 59cm in diameter. After graduating in ceramics, I worked in the same university department as the plaster technician for the next four and a half years whilst developing my work in my Bristol studio. I have used plaster techniques for developing moulds for use on the jigger and jolley and forms are made on this equipment often using a white earthenware body

After a biscuit firing, colourful earthenware glazes are carefully trailed onto the surface with particular attention to line and containment. I believe that the creative process works best when we find ourselves both in control and yet, not in control at the same time. By this, I mean multiple things: that we are open to gains through our 'errors'; that to some extent we know what is going to happen, but wisely leave enough to 'chance'; but also that there seems to be some sublime state in which these things happen when we are in a particular frame of mind.

I have always been a person with a 'technical' nature; I worked in Information Technology for eighteen years before becoming more serious about ceramics and I have worked as a ceramics technician subsequently. So I know how to develop some control. The trick is pulling back in time. It is the behaviour of juxtaposed glazes and the effect of heat in the kiln on glazes applied to a gently sloping surface which allow me to do this.