JOHN BEDDING born London 1947

John Bedding began potting when he was seventeen in a small commercial South London pottery. John Bedding was drawn to pottery by its unique mixture of art, craft and chemistry. The balance of routine, experiment and discovery seemed to suit my character and my skills. . . John Bedding moved to St. Ives in the late 1960’s and worked with Bernard Leach, first as an apprentice and later, after a year in France, as a member of staff, during this period I was allowed to develop my own work and had three one man shows. In 1978 urged by Janet Leach and Bernard Leach John Bedding went to Japan, as only the second potter to be sent to Japan by the Leach Pottery. John Bedding worked with Shigeyoshi Ichino; whom I had become friends with at the Leach. This was at his family pottery in the ancient pottery district of Tamba, John Beddings year culminated in a solo show in the prestigious Hankyu Department Store. I returned to England in 1980 and set up my own workshop, firstly in Penzance, and later Trencrom, on the outskirts of St Ives. At Trencrom John Bedding moved away from the more traditional Stoneware and Porcelain to explore low fired fuming and raku techniques in my search for a more individual style.

In 1990 John Bedding moved back into St. Ives and established St Ives Pottery which I later called St Ives Ceramics. This was fronted by a gallery in which I showed my own work and pots by other potters that I admired. With the arrival of the Tate Gallery in St. Ives I was chosen as the second guest potter to exhibit in their yearly exhibition.

In 1999 John Bedding opened the Gaolyard Studios a group of nine self contained pottery studios built on the site of the old town gaol. This was an effort to regain a new momentum to the pottery making in St Ives and to once again work within a group. It also allowed me to expand the St Ives Ceramics galley and exhibit a wider range of pots, including works from 20th century master potters collected in partnership with Kate Chertavain known as the CBS collection.

In 2004 John Bedding became a founding trustee in the Leach Pottery Restoration project, which has now been successfully restored into a working pottery and training centre again, for which I am still on the board of trustees.

Throughout my career I have exhibited in many joint and one man shows both in England and abroad, and am in many private and institutional collections. I John Bedding works now mainly for exhibitions and my own gallery, enjoying the freedom to explore and experiment the endless artistry and chemistry of ceramics.

Home ¦ Gallery ¦ Illustrated pots ¦ Porcelain Pots ¦ Copper Pots ¦ Archive pots ¦ Contacts ¦ My Info