Friday Folks – Kevin James Graham

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selection of 'Fat Lava' East & West German pottery belonging to Kevin Graham

This edition of Friday Folks features Kevin Graham. We came across him online a few years ago when we were trying to find more details about some of the ceramic items that we’d been accumulating for our shop. Kevin is one of the founding members & admins of the online Pottery and Glass Forum – a group full of very friendly & extremely knowledgeable people from all around the world. You can also find him endeavouring to spread the Fat Lava love around the virtual world via Twitter and Flickr

Who are you & what do you do?
I am Kevin James Graham. I am a researcher & Author on factual books on West/East German pottery. To date I have written Spritzdecor to Fat Lava (hardback), and West & East German Pottery Marks & Form Numbers (hardback). Both limited edition books which came out in July 2009 with only 250 copies of each.

photo of Kevin James Graham

Since the publication of these two hardcover books, I switched to CD as a medium and introduced Spritzdecor to Fat Lava Book/CD and West & East German Pottery, Marks & Form numbers Volume II (which contained over 3500 more numbers than the original book). These came out in January 2010.

"West and East German Pottery" book by Kevin James Graham

In November 2010 I released Spritzdecor to Fat Lava II on CD which contained 32 more companies than the original hardback book & CD, and an additional number of designer profiles bringing the total to 48. At the same time, I released the greatly updated West & East German Pottery, Marks, Form Numbers & Decors Volume III which contained over 2800 new form numbers, including a huge section on Art Deco, with the aid of Volker Hornbostel, a collector of pieces from this period. In addition, a new Decors section was added, with pictures of the known decors of Alka Kunst, Bay Keramik, Bückeberg, Carstens Tönnieshof, Ceramano, Conradt (Gebruder), Cortendorf, Dümler & Breiden, Eiwa, ES-Keramik, Fohr Keramik, Ilkra Keramik, Jasba, Jopeko, Keto, Kupfermuhle Keramik (KMK), Marzi & Remy, Ruscha, Scheurich, Schlossberg, Schramberg (SMF), Stutzel Sachs Wächtersbach, etc.

pair of Fat Lava floor vases

Other additions to this CD included studio marks & porcelain marks sections. This CD covers the period 1900 to 2000, for form numbers. Also inside this CD is information on who designed the famous Hearts motif pieces for Wächtersbach and when.

Also within is the answer to the 5 WGP companies that had LAVA as a known decor. Of course, the work on both the form numbers & decors is ongoing as, since publishing this extensive CD, I have found new catalogues from Carstens Tönnieshof, Ceramano Fohr, Marzi & Remy, Ruscha, Roth & Ü-Keramik – so next year, a Volume/Edition 4 will be issued.

Fat Lava reference cds compiled & produced by Kevin James Graham

Other publications that I will launch this year are a Ceramano bookalogue to be released for the More Than Fat Lava Mid Century & Modern German Ceramics Exhibition happening in Amsterdam from 18 June 2011 in conjunction with Emiel Monnink from Retrominded. This exhibition will be opened by my friend Mark Hill.

Bauhaus Generated (German Atelier/Töpferei/Studio Pottery) 1920s to 2000 which contains the profiles of leading potters – who trained them, start date, marks etc with over 300 colour photographs. Over 700 potters are identified in this publication.

Studio potters include Antal (Bandi), Heiner (Balzar), Bampi (Richard), Bisang (Liselot) Bomblies (Eva), Bontjes van Beek (Jan), Böttger (Inge), Brügemman (Antje), Busz (Ralf), Crumbiegel (Dieter), Claussen (Michael), Doss (Antje & Rainer), Dudas (Laszlo), Eggemann (Hildegard), Frey (Harro), Gerhards (Walter), Gramman (Siegfrid), Harney (Else), Heuckeroth (Gerda), Hillers (Ulfert), Hohlt (Albrecht & Georg), Hudler (Friedrich), Kagel (Wilhelm), Kerstan (Horst), Kiessling (Albert). Klopfer (Lu), Kuch (Wilhelm & Elly), Kuhn (Beate), Kummer (Thomas), Lang (Anton) Laeuger (Max), Langelot (IB), Liebenthron (Gerhard), Lindig (Otto), Loesche (Ernst), Maetzel (Monica), Meier (Otto), Mühlendyck (Wim), Piesche (Anton), Schäffenacker (Helmut), Scheid (Ursula & Karl), Stahl (Rudi), Stahl (Wendelin), Stehr (Barbara), Uhlemeyer (Richard), Unterstab (Kerstin, Gudrun & Ralf), Weber (Rolf), Wichmann (Otto). The foreword to this publication will be written by Mark Hill.

pair of purple vintage Roth Fat Lava vases

How did you get into the business?
By accident! In 2001 I found a Fat Lava Bay Keramik piece in a charity shop in Chard, Somerset – I started to collect later. In 2004, after meeting my wife Esther, I moved to North Germany. I found a treasure trove of West & East German pottery. My collection, which up to that point was only 200 pieces, grew rapidly. However, very little was known then about this pottery. I started to catalogue the form numbers and after several discussions with my friend in the USA, Forrest Poston, I decided to write a book. Research on Spritzdecor to Fat Lava & West & East German Pottery Marks & Form Numbers started in 2004. The only book available at that time was 50er Jahre Keramik by Dr Horst Makus, only in German, and didn’t cover most of the items I was interested in. In 2006, a new book came out (only in German), by Dr Michael Thomas entitled Deusche Keramik und Porzellan der 60er und 70er Jahre, which is an excellent book. I still collect today, my WGP/EGP pieces have exceeded 21,000. I know it sounds a lot, but Michael Thomas has nearly 10,000 more!

red vintage Fat Lava vase

Who or what inspires you?
This is a difficult one, I have several people who inspire me to write more, these include Mark Hill, Michael Thomas, Cari Zalloni, Stuart Brownrigg, Stuart Gunning, Emiel Monnink to name a few.

vintage Greman potter bird figure

What has been your greatest success?
Again, difficult to think of just one thing. Work wise, writing the two original books which actually started life as a single book, but the printer I used was unable to bind such a large book so it became two.

trio of vintage 1950s Fat Lava vases

Have you got any advice for someone wanting to break into the business?
Hmmmmm… make sure your workplace is quiet, has no telephone, make sure you back up your data – every day and make sure your research is sound. I don’t think of writing my books as a business, more of a quest to catalogue the history of WGP. I certainly have not made any money on them, so far, and I know I am not alone. Also, make sure you have a lot of cash in the bank as printing books is expensive!

Friday Folks – Paul Floyd Blake

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Self portrait by Paul Floyd Blake

On today’s ‘Friday Folks’ we’re featuring photographer Paul Floyd Blake.

Paul, who lives in the neighbouring town of Hebden Bridge, is an inspiration to anyone wishing to change careers or direction in life. During his forties, he went from laundry worker to award-winning photographer. Dedication, enthusiasm and of course talent all played their part.

The following images are taken from his series of photographs featuring talented young athletes aiming for Olympic glory at London 2012. The first photograph featured actually won the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize.

Who are you & what do you do?
My name is Paul Floyd Blake, and I am a freelance photographer. I shoot commercially as a way to earn enough to finance my own creative projects – also to contribute towards keeping our heads above water, of course!

How did you get into the business?
I first experienced the magic of photography at the age of thirteen.

We were not well off as a family and had only visited the coast (Southend) on a couple of occasions and just for the day. When my mother told my two brothers, two sisters and me we were going to Ramsgate in Kent for two whole weeks, our excitement was immeasurable. It was one of those long hot summers, we had a blissful time and my mum and dad even got on for the duration of the holiday!

One evening, I took a photograph as the sun went down over Ramsgate Harbour. When we were back in grimy London and back at school, this photograph allowed us to relive the intense joy and warmth of that fortnight.

My mum asked me recently how I ended up becoming a photographer, and I told her that story. She said, “Naaaah!!! Ya bruver recons he took that picture.”

Anyway, whoever took the photograph it was still the image that made me aware of photography.

I did not get my own camera until I was about 21 and then only used it to take images on holidays and later of the kids as they grew up. I did however buy magazines like Amateur Photographer picking up tips on exposure composition and the use of colour. After years of driving a laundry delivery van in London, we moved to Yorkshire and my partner Leila encouraged me to go to college to study photography, so I could do something I loved rather than getting a transfer to a laundry in Bradford. I never looked back.

Who or what inspires you?
I was forty when I eventually took up photography professionally.

At college, I felt that I had an advantage over the other younger students because I had worked all my life and now for the first time was really hungry to learn but also had the experience of life to draw on and use in my photography. Being a photographer you are always on the look out for things to inspire you. You tend to be looking for the beautiful the strange or absurd, and when you look you tend to see it. So the short answer is that everything is inspirational.

Photographers that inspire me:
Tom Wood – beautiful photographs of people and of Liverpool that do not leer or patronize. My favourite book of his work is All Zones Off Peak.
Rineke Dijkstra for her fantastic portraits of adolescent teenagers to blood spattered bullfighters. My favourite book of her’s is Portraits

What has been your greatest success?
After failing at school and having such low expectations of myself, just being a photographer feels like a great success, but in 2009 I won the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize and that really changed a lot of things in my favour. Having said that, it was just one image and there is a certain amount of luck involved in winning a competition like that. The project that has given me most satisfaction was Changing Faces of Yorkshire. This was my first solo exhibition and involved photographing all different communities that make up Yorkshire. It brought people from many different backgrounds together and the opening night was a wonderful mix of people national dishes and alcohol. I recommend Serbian brandy!

Have you got any advice for someone wanting to break into the business?
Try not to procrastinate. I have found that I learn from my photographs, so I don’t spend too much time developing an idea in my head. I go out and shoot and then allow the ideas to flow, develop from there.
Photograph things that are close to you, be natural when you deal with people, and then your uniqueness will come out in your photographs.

You can see more examples of Paul’s work on his website.

Paul kindly allowed us to use his photographs for this feature.

Unauthorised reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Friday Folks – Lucy Ryder Richardson

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shelves with midcentury modern items including vintage Catherineholm enamel bowls and folk art tile

This week’s Friday Folks contributor is Lucy Ryder Richardson of Midcentury Modern show fame.

As regular readers know, we’re huge fans of Midcentury modern, and much of our business is based around this period – so it’s great to feature one of the leading lights in events showcasing the era.

The next Midcentury.Modern show at Dulwich College, London takes place on 20 March 2011. The last show received an unprecedented number of visitors, with over 3,000 through the door in just 6 hours!

In testament to the popularity and success of Mid.Mod, Lucy & Petra will host their first ever show at Lord’s Cricket Ground which will be held on 15 May.

Who are you & what do you do?
Hi, I am Lucy Ryder Richardson, one half of the female powerhouse behind Midcentury Modern. I say that tongue in cheek but Petra Curtis, my business partner should get a mention.

Lucy Ryder Richardson

vintage green anglepoise lamp

How did you get into the business?
Love of the era and lack of shops in Dulwich doing the kind of furniture and design we love.

vintage table and chairs

Who or what inspires you?
Our children, our 60s homes, Scandinavian and American modernism.

vintage grey anglepoise lamp

What has been your greatest success?
The latest show last Sunday at Midcentury.Modern was so packed we had to stop people at the door to let others out. We had one lady screaming to a friend, “My God, this show has become THE destination!” and all sorts of great feedback afterwards. But our most exciting moment was when Time Out made us one of their top ten attractions for the whole of 2009 with no other design show mentioned. They now regularly make us a top pick and we are very very grateful to them and Elle Decoration (our main media backer) for all their support.

collection of stacked vintage wooden chairs

Have you got any advice for someone wanting to break into the business?
Never listen when people say it can’t be done and always follow your heart rather than trends. Upcycling is currently the way to go. Look at Styling and Salvage, Higher Market Studio and Zoe Murphy but essentially, do your own thing.

Chris Eckersley 'Arden' chairs
Chris Eckersley sideboard

Friday Folks – Hannah McAndrew

Welcome to #3 in our nearly new Friday Folks series.

We met Hannah McAndrew two years ago at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester and were immediately struck by her wonderful slipware pottery. We saw her at GNCCF again the following year and just had to treat ourselves to some of her wares!

Who are you & what do you do?
Hello, my name is Hannah McAndrew and I am a slipware potter working in the wonderful South West of Scotland. I make pots which I aim to be beautiful, which want to be picked up and held and which have a job to do and do it well. I want to make things that tell a story, that make people smile and that give a bit of warmth.

How did you get into the business?
In the first instance I came across clay in a sort of accidental way, I went to Manchester Metropolitan University to study Three Dimensional Design and intending to focus on metalwork. In fact I could not stand the noise and the business in the metal department and by comparison the ceramics room was airy and quiet and light. The tutor there though, Alex McErlain, was probably the biggest influence though as his enthusiasm for functional thrown pots soon had me hooked and I suddenly knew just what it was I wanted to do.

I didn’t feel I knew enough though on leaving university to be able to just go out there and make pots so I searched for an apprenticeship. Eventually I found again in a somewhat accidental manner a potter called Jason Shackleton who lives near Dumfries who offered me a place working at his pottery. So that was that, I left Bolton and moved to Scotland and as soon as I started working with Jason I fell head over heels in love with slip, the techniques associated with it and the history and tradition and passion that stem from it.

Who or what inspires you?
What inspires me? Pots, old pots, new pots, seeing other potters work, folk arts, tapestry and embroidery in particular, my imagination, my surroundings, and the way that clay and slips can come together and the potential that they have to create wonderful exciting things.

What has been your greatest success?
A few things spring to mind when I think about successes for me and business, being asked to visit the USA in April 2011 to demonstrate my work there, being accepted as a professional member of the Craft Potters Association, being still here making pots and selling pots and still loving it after eight, nearly nine years of being self-employed.

Have you got any advice for someone wanting to break into the business?
To anyone wanting to enter the business I would say that being determined and passionate and enthusiastic about whatever it is that is your thing are key to your success. Do what you love, follow you heart and share your passion.

H is for Home Harbinger

Tag: friday folks

Friday Folks – Kevin James Graham

Friday Folks – Paul Floyd Blake

Friday Folks – Lucy Ryder Richardson

Friday Folks – Hannah McAndrew