Born in Islington in London, John Ward (b. 1938) embarked on his career by attending a part-time course in ceramics at East Ham Technical College whilst he worked as a BBC cameraman. He then went on to attend Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts from 1966 to 1970.
During the 1970s he had two workshops in South East London, one in Anerley and the other in Charlton. In 1979, he moved to Dyfed in Wales, living at the foot of the Preseli Hills, just a few miles from the coast.
Being near to the sea has had an effect on the decoration I use reflecting the movement of water and the dips and folds of the strata revealed on the cliff faces. This in turn affects the development of the form, they evolve together.
John Ward was inspired by ancient pre-glaze pottery found in China, Egypt, Persia and the Cyclades. To create his signature matt finish, Ward’s pieces are scrapped and burnished with a pebble. Finally, Ward only uses matt glazes, with most of his pots twice-fired in an electric kiln. Ward’s hand-built pots have earned him a place as one of Britain’s foremost potters.
…the apparently contrasting qualities of drama and quiet reflection, is one of the most engaging aspects of his work. This sense of balance, of the tension between pushing and pulling, light and shade, movement and rest, makes Ward’s work distinctive, distinguished and intriguing. Emmanuel Cooper
Examples of his works can be found in the permanent collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and MoMA in New York. His wok can be purchased at auction or 1stDibs and Oxford Ceramics.
The Pottery of John Ward written by Emma Crichton-Miller and published in late 2022 is available via Amazon, Waterstones and WHSmith.
Additional image credits:
Barnebys | Maac London
