Exhibitions
Collect 2018
22nd - 25th February 2018
Joanna Bird returns to Collect at the Saatchi Gallery
Works exhibited included pieces by Pippin Drysdale, Phoebe Cummings, James Oughtibridge, Annie Turner, Laura Youngson Coll, Kaori Tatebayashi, John Makepeace, Sara Dodd, Adi Toch, Hattori Makiko and Halima Cassell, Steffen Dam, Angela Cork, Nest Design
Thursday 22 February, 12pm – 7pm
Friday 23 February, 11am – 9pm
Saturday 24 February, 11am – 6pm
Sunday 25 February, 11am – 6pm
Foundation
Richard Batterham, Master Potter DVD
£12 + P&P
To order your copy, please contact info@joannabirdfoundation.com
Richard Batterham, Master Potter is available on DVD with all proceeds going to the Joanna Bird Foundation. The DVD is available in region 1, US and Canada and region 2, Western Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and Japan.
“This fine documentary is a deep dive into one man’s world of making, and the philosophy behind a life in pottery. The sense of accumulation – of time, of clay, of conviction – is palpable in every shot. We also hear from the magnificent David Attenborough and master chef Nigel Slater (who begins every day with his Batterham breakfast bowl). Their voices remind us that often, the most meaningful things in life are rooted in the everyday, indeed, in the dirt beneath our feet.”
Glenn Adamson
Senior Research Scholar, Yale Centre of British Art
Visit our website to see more of the work that we do: https://www.joannabirdfoundation.com/
See more of Richard’s work here
Exhibitions
Pippin Drysdale at New Horizons
On the 21 November we were delighted to host an artist talk by internationally aclaimed artist and State National Living Treasure of Westen Australia, Pippin Drysdale.
Joanna and Pippin drew in a large crowd and it was brilliant to see so many of you in attendance. Pippin offered exclusive insights into her work, her inspirations and her future development. We will be premiering Pippin’s latest series of work The Devils Marbles, Lustre Series at Collect 2018.
See the Devils Marbles, Lustre Series at Collect 2018, 22 – 25 February
Exhibitions
New Horizons
22 November - 8 December 2017
A new exhibition of work showing ceramics, glass, furniture and more
22 November – 8 December 2017
We will holding a special screening of the film commisoned by the Joanna Bird Foundation: Richard Batterham, Master Potter.
This will be held on Tuesday 5 December at 6pm. If you are interested in attending please RSVP to info@joannabird.com
19 Grove Park Terrace
London
W4 3QE
Open daily 10-5.30pm
Closed Sundays
Foundation
Richard Batterham film fully funded!
Thank you so much to everyone whose contributions and enthusiasm have made this production of Richard Batterham Master Potter possible. We had an early screening of the film at the International Ceramics Festival in Aberystwyth which was a huge success. We are now exploring other screening possibilities and keep you posted.
This is the first film in a series – showing how potters, glass makers and other decorative artists set about their practice and what we can learn from them.
If you would like to support the project or others by the Joanna Bird Foundation, please contact us at info@joannabird.com to make a donation or to donate up to £10 – Text JBFN17 £10 to 70070 to donate to The Joanna Bird Foundation and make a difference today.
Richard Batterham, Master Potter is available on DVD with all proceeds going to the Joanna Bird Foundation.
£12 + P&P
To order your copy, please contact info@joannabirdfoundation.com
Visit our website to see more of the work that we do: https://www.joannabirdfoundation.com/
Exhibitions, Commissions
Sea Life: Glimpses of the Wonderful at RAMM
May 13 – September 17, 2017
We are delighted to announce that the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, RAMM, has commissioned and acquired Specimens from an imaginary voyage, an installation by Steffen Dam for their collection.
This installation is made up of 18 Marine and Jellyfish Jars and was created from hand blown and cast glass. Specially commissioned by RAMM the pieces take inspiration from the collection in Sladen’s Study which houses specimens of starfish and sea urchins.
A film of Dam working in his studio features in the exhibition as well as glass by the Blaschka brothers and a live aquarium.
Specimens from an imaginary voyage will be on display in Sladen’s Study, RAMM from November 2017.
Exhibitions, Projects
Joanna Bird talk at Messums Wiltshire
Sat 29 April 2017
Making a collection: Abstraction in clay
Messums Wiltshire welcomes Anthony Shaw, founder of The Anthony Shaw Collection and Joanna Bird, consultant curator to Material: Earth to discuss Anthony’s collection which is on long term loan to CoCA, York Museums Trust.
It is one of Britain’s most important private collections of modern studio ceramics. A major holding of over 1200 works by some eighty artists acquired over 44 years. Within it there are important works by Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Sara Radstone, Ewen Henderson, Gordon Baldwin and Gillian Lowndes amongst others. A couturier, Anthony has travelled widely from his early childhood, educated by these experiences he appreciates ceramics as Art and has developed a very personal aesthetic.
They will be talking about how the collection came about, specific influences, where is has been housed and how Anthony has engaged with its development.
Booking is strongly advised with tickets costing £10.00 or £15.00 on the door and are available here.
Making a collection: Abstraction in clay.
Messums Wiltshire
Place Farm
Court Street
Tisbury
SP3 6LW
11.00 – 12.00
Sat 29 April 2017
Booking: Advised
Tickets: £10.00
Exhibitions, Projects
Joanna Bird at London Craft Week 2017
03 May 2017
British potter Chris Keenan, Fashion designer, Margaret Howell and Joanna Bird, ceramics consultant and curator, discuss the similarities in their process to work, searching out truth to materials and authenticity.
Chris began working with clay in his mid-thirties when he began a two year apprenticeship with Edmund de Waal. His collection includes beakers, bowls, cups, teapots, jugs and pots for flowers. Most recently, Chris spent six weeks as Artist-in-Residence at the Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art in Japan working with local clays and glazes. He was invited to fire work in the salt-glaze and noborigama kilns of Tomoo Hamada.
Margaret Howell has been designing understated, high-quality clothes since 1970. Inspired by nature, mid-20th-century furniture design and figures such as Mr James Dean and artist Mr Ben Nicholson, Ms Howell’s vision is unerringly tasteful, assured and practical.
Booking is essential as places on the tour are limited, tickets cost £9.60 and are available here.
Those on the tour will be met between 10.40 – 10.50, at South London Gallery, 65-67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH and continue on to Vanguard Court.
In Conversation at Vanguard Studio
SE5 8QT
11.00 – 12.00
03 May 2017
Booking: Necessary
Tickets: £9.60
Exhibitions
Necessities of Life
17 - 27 May 2017
Joanna is pleased to announce the opening of her next summer exhibition, Necessities of Life, taking place at Grove Park Terrace from Wednesday 17 May – Saturday 27 May.
This exhibition will give a broad brushstroke of what we think is essential to life – pots for food, water, coffee, wine, books, music and the garden.
We have our wonderful gardener Tom replanting the garden and lots of pots to show you – some planted up – all hand made in Hampshire. Visitors are invited to explore the garden and discover sculptural works by James Oughtibridge, Akiko Hirai, Adam Buick and Svend Bayer.
Open daily 10am – 5.30pm, closed Sundays.
We look forward to seeing you.
19 Grove Park Terrace, London, W4 3QE
Featuring work from:
Danlami Aliyu, Richard Batterham, Svend Bayer, Adam Buick, Halima Cassell, Chien-Wei Chang, Carina Ciscato, Joanna Constantinidis, Angela Cork, Pippin Drysdale, Akiko Hirai, Edward Hughes, James Oughtibridge, Nest Designs, Kaori Tatebayashi, Matthew Warner, West Meon Pottery, Philip Wood, Quarry Lane Workshop
Exhibitions, Projects
Material: Earth at Messums Wiltshire
12 March – 1 May 2017
This exhibition demonstrates how artists have explored the language of ceramics over the last seventy years. The aim is to convey a flavour of personal approaches to clay, from pots we use every day to abstract conceptual sculpture. Messums invited Joanna to join the exhibition as a consultant curator to advise and facilitate making this an exciting and well rounded exhibition.
Exhibiting artists include:
Felicity Aylieff, Sam Bakewell, Gordon Baldwin, Alison Britton, Christie Brown, Sandy Brown, Adam Buick, Stephanie Buttle, Hans Coper, Michael Eden, Philip Eglin, Elizabeth Fritsch, Malene Hartmann Rasmussen, Ewen Henderson, Gillian Lowndes, Geoffrey Mann, Alexander MacDonald- Buchanan, Grayson Perry, Richard Slee, Julian Stair, Kaori Tatebayashi, Annie Turner, Bouke de Vries, Edmund de Waal
Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury,
Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LW
Exhibitions
COLLECT 2017
Joanna Bird returned to the Saatchi Gallery in February to participate in the Crafts Council 13th COLLECT contemporary craft fair. As always we showed a selection of quality works from internationally acclaimed contemporary ceramic, glass and wood working artists.
Works exhibited included pieces by Carina Ciscato, Pippin Drysdale, Annie Turner, Chien-Wei Chang, Kaori Tatebayashi, John Makepeace, Fausto Salvi, Sara Dodd, Hattori Makiko and Halima Cassell, Steffen Dam, Geoffrey Mann and Nest Designs.
Joanna Bird continues to offer collectors the opportunity to acquire exceptional museum quality works by Hans Coper, Lucie Rie and Joanna Constantinidis.
Exhibitions
True to Form
8-22 November
Featuring works by Richard Batterham, Chien-Wei Chang, Carina Ciscato, Wouter Dam, Pippin Drysdale, Edward Hughes, Sun Kim, Jaejun Lee, Sara Moorhouse, Prue Piper and Fausto Salvi
19 Grove Park Terrace, London, W4 3QE
Open 10-5.30pm
Closed Sundays
Late Night Opening Thursday 17 November until 8pm
We were delighted to welcome light installation artist Rupert Newman who produced an exciting and mesmerizing display for the exhibition opening night.
Exhibitions
Decorex 2016
18-21 September
Following the success of her collaboration with renowned interior designer David Mlinaric, curating the Sir John Soane Museum stand for Decorex International 2015, Joanna Bird returned to the fair bringing together an array of superb Decorative Arts, Furniture and Venetian Lighting.
By placing a curatorial emphasis on the ‘Objets D’art’ when designing around the objects, Joanna creates fresh and harmonious spaces, something which is reflected in her stand design for the fair.
Works shown at Decorex 2016 include:
Bold colours and clean lines: Furniture by Nest Design including The Pheonix console table, Red Writing Desk and Twenty 10. Nest create hand crafted pieces in solid timber and in 2005 they were awarded the prestigious Irish Furniture Oscar by John Makepeace.
The Phoenix consoles are Neil & Annabel McCarthy’s latest design. They combine their signature lacquer with the Japanese charring technique known as shou- sugi-ban. Traditionally applied to cedar for exterior use, it preserves wood by burning it superficially. The hardened surface is then cleaned and coated with oil.
Continuing the theme of bold colours Pippin Drysdale’s porcelain installations strike a topographical note referencing the Australian landscape. She is a National Living Treasure of Australia. Her work is instantly recognisable for its vibrant colours and strong forms.
Alessandro Diaz de Santillana brings the best from the Masters of Murano with sophisticated uplighters which emmenate a rich jewel-like glow.
Joanna will also be showing a beautiful rug by British artist Christopher Le Brun. Red and Blue was made in Afyon, Turkey and was made after a painting entitled Keep. The piece is hand dyed, hand knotted Anatolian Fat Tail Wool and Mohair.
We are delighted to be showing a chandelier by Cox London. Ferro Vitro, inspired by the drawings of Alberto Giacometti is a sculptural construction of iron and blown glass, forged in the UK.
Projects, Foundation
Richard Batterham Film – We need you!
The Joanna Bird Foundation is currently fundraising for our next project, a film about potter Richard Batterham.
Richard is a master potter and represents an increasingly rare breed. He is one of the last surviving exponents of the studio pottery movement that flourished in the first half of the twentieth century and is a direct link to towering figures of the past such as Bernard Leach and Michael Cardew. The film will be the first of a series to be made by The Joanna Bird Foundation.
We are very excited to be working with Sir David Attenborourgh and Nigel Slater, who will be contributing to the film. Both have strong connections with ceramics and are great admirers of Richard and his work.
This year Richard is eighty, still running what is essentially a one-man show at his studio in Dorset. Rejecting notions of haste and commercialism that he feels are all too present in modern society he works with tide-like regularity digging his own clay and preparing glazes from the trees in his garden. His work is based on his philosophy and the resulting pieces are not only beautiful to behold and satisfying to use but imbued with a deep integrity. Tanya Harrod has said of his work, “These pots are for us – ordinary people – not for museums.” This holds true, his notable fan club love and use his pots daily and Museums have also found his work irresistible, the V&A amongst many others have acquired his work.
We will be working with award winning arts filmmaker, Alex J. Wright who has created films on Takeshi Yasuda, and Lisa Hammond among others. His recent piece Lee Kang-hyo: Onggi Master is currently being shown as part of the Crafts Council’s Real to Reel film festival. Alex is well qualified to take on this project, he is passionate about pottery and the culture surrounding it.
The film will help to make a significant contribution to the world of art and craft in particular by informing and inspiring future generations whilst preserving the legacy of this truly remarkable man, one of the few surviving Mingei artists, our National Living Treasure.
Richard Batterham, Master Potter is available on DVD with all proceeds going to the Joanna Bird Foundation.
£12 + P&P
To order your copy, please contact info@joannabirdfoundation.com
Visit our website to see more of the work that we do: https://www.joannabirdfoundation.com/
Exhibitions
Prospero’s Charm; Art to Enchant
21 June - 6 July 2016
Joanna Bird brings together an array of beautiful objects by internationally acclaimed artists. An enticing selection of Ceramics, Glass, Textiles and Wood set in the home gallery and against the backdrop of the unusual garden design in Chiswick.
Exceptional craftsmanship will be on view, mysterious and exotic textiles by Rita Parniczhy explore the passage of light through material and pattern. These will be juxtaposed with celebrated artist Peter Collingwood’s geometric macro gauze weavings.
Alicja Patanowska shows her intriguing MushroomLAB and Plantation Installation which allows observation of plant development, both stem and root.
Jenifer Jones and Svend Bayer add form with their pots to the garden planting, Adam Buick adds mystery to the collection with his Moon Jars inside the house. Henry Pim plays with scale and architecturally engineers his clay sculptures into composite forms, reminiscent of steel girders which explore space on the exterior whilst throwing a trajectory of shadows.
From the perfectly poised forms of Pippin Drysdale’s work to the lyrical poems of Rupert Spira, the exhibition continues to offer a great variety of work which is brought together by a sense of form and exceptional craftsmanship.
Amy West returns from Murano to show her new spring collection of glass jewellery, which can be made to commission for special occasions. Juli Bolaños-Durman also debuts her new Solace series in the UK.
Finally Rósa Gísladóttir’s impressive, imaginative sculptures (Hebe’s Gold Chalice) and Geoffrey Mann’s ‘Secret Life of Shadows’ conjure up the magic of Prospero’s Charm.
Visitors have the opportunity to see contemporary works including pieces by Master potters, Hans Coper, Lucie Rie and Joanna Constantinididis.
21 June – 6 July , open 10am – 5.30pm (including Saturdays, closed Sundays)
Late night openings Thursday 23 June until 9pm and Wednesday 29 June until 9 pm
We look forward to seeing you.
19 Grove Park Terrace, London, W4 3QE
Exhibitions, Projects
Joanna Bird at London Craft Week
As part of London Craft Week, Joanna will be leading a curated tour around the artists’ studios of Vanguard Court in South London.
The group will visit the studios of selected artists; Carina Ciscato, Robert Cooper, Chris Keenan and Henry Pim whose work clearly demonstrates the versatility of clay as a medium.
Joanna will be introducing this very special event and giving her view on contemporary studio practices and how they relate to the historic Studio Pottery Movement.
The tour combines a fascinating look into the life of these artists – their busy studio practices – the thoughts and inspirations behind their unique creations. Get the chance to meet the artists, watch them at work and hear more about their creative practice.
Booking is essential as places on the tour are limited, tickets cost £18 and are available here
Those on the tour will be met between 13.40 – 13.50, at South London Gallery, 65-67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH and continue on to Vanguard Court.
Vanguard Studio Tour
SE5 8QT
14.00 – 15.30
03 May 2016
Booking: Necessary
Tickets: £18
Meeting location:
South London Gallery
65 – 67 Peckham Road
Camberwell
SE5 8UH
Foundation
Lecture: Ceramica – The Power of Installation, Soane and Beyond
Talk by JOANNA BIRD and SAMANTHA GROVER
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Jonathan Burden, 180 Duane Street (between Hudson and Greenwich Streets), New York City
One of the centerpieces of the Soane collection is the Cawdor Vase. This vase is the largest and most elaborate classical ceramic piece in the collection. It presents mythical figures from the Olympic Games and has a great provenance, back to the collection of the King of Naples. It has pride of place in the Library Dining room.
This talk will focus on the Soane Museum’s collection, plus some contemporary ceramics which are being shown at the New York Ceramics and Glass Fair opening this week in Manhattan. Pieces in the Soane Museum collection include the Cawdor Vase and the extremely rare Chinese export ware tiles, of which the Museum owns 300. There are also items such as the small neoclassical Wedgwood biscuit fired urn decorated with paper flowers by Mrs. Soane which is now displayed in the Oratory in the newly restored private apartments, carefully positioned to serve as a memorial to her. Soane liked to amass objects to create more impact and atmosphere and he too liked to mix contemporary and the antique. The Soane Museum has followed Soane in this direction with the 2013 exhibition: Marking the Line, Ceramics and Architecture, which was curated by Joanna Bird.
Visit our website to see more of the work that we do: https://www.joannabirdfoundation.com/
Exhibitions
The New York Ceramics & Glass Fair 2016
On January 21-24, Joanna traveled to New York to show at The New York Ceramics and Glass Fair in Bohemian National Hall.
She exhibited exciting works by internationally acclaimed contemporary Ceramics and Glass artists, as well as offering collectors the opportunity to acquire exceptional museum-quality works by Hans Coper, Lucie Rie and Edmund de Waal.
Ceramic works by Pippin Drysdale, Carina Ciscato, Halima Cassell, and Geoffery Mann were featured as well as exquisite glass works by Steffen Dam and Juli Bolanos Durman. Collectors have the opportunity to see unusual pieces by Emmanuel Cooper, Philip Eglin and an exceptional work by the Martin Brothers.
Exhibitions
Merchants and Makers
1-15 December
Joanna is delighted to announce her new exhibition, Merchants and Makers taking place at 19 Grove Park Terrace, Chiswick, London, W4 from Tuesday 1 December – Tuesday 15 December, open 10am –5.30pm (closed Sundays) with a late night opening on Tuesday 8 December until 9pm.
Following Joanna’s trip to Venice earlier this year, Merchants and Makers will be debuting beautiful glass jewellery by Amy West.
Using lamp working and traditional wheel engraving techniques, each piece of Amy’s work is carefully considered to create sensitive and detailed forms. Award winning designer-maker Juli Bolaños-Durman will also be showing colourful glass sculptures from her new Solace Collection.
The exhibition will also feature new works by Sara Dodd and Nigel Wood; historical works by master potters Lucie Rie and Hans Coper; contemporary pieces from Richard Batterham; William Plumptre and Judith Rowe, all underlining the beauty of the functional form.
Pippin Drysdale, Sara Moorhouse and Tanya Gomez provide a dazzling array of colours directly inspired by the landscape and its ever changing seasonal palette.
New to Joanna Bird, Nic Webb’s work pursues an organic approach – using traditional tools to create his exquisite wooden sculptures and hand made ceramics. In the Merchants sector; spectacular and useful table pieces from designers Nason Moretti on Murano: elegantly simple products from artisans working with Shaker designs from the USA – boxes, brushes and honey sticks.
We hope you will come to explore the exciting cornucopia of treasures in this unusual Christmas show.
Open 10am – 5.30pm (including Saturdays, closed Sundays) with a late night opening on Tuesday 8 December until 9pm
We look forward to seeing you.
19 Grove Park Terrace, London, W4 3QE
Exhibitions
Pippin Drysdale named as an Australian National Living Treasure
Pippin Drysdale has been chosen as one of Western Australia’s 15 Living Treasures
The 2015 State Living Treasures Award recipients were chosen by a panel of distinguished members of the arts and culture community.
They are artists who;
• have spent a significant part of their career working within or creating work related to Western Australia
• are highly regarded and skilled in their field
• have spent their careers constantly developing their work
• have passed on their knowledge to other artists and influenced emerging artist to their field
• have demonstrated a commitment or contribution to the arts sector in Western Australia