Richard Bartlett

Working in clay allows my spirit to be free; to work without plan; following instinct, guided by the natural line; finding its own way. I strive for movement and flow in my work.I draw great inspiration from the patterns and structures seen in nature. I continually strive to stretch the material limits of clay and glazes. I enjoy working and exploring the division of surface into an array of color, form and texture.My work reflects my love of nature; my love of cooking and my belief that pottery vessels are an important ceremonial link with our ancient heritage. As a potter, designing and creating vessels from raw clay, glazing them from formulas of raw materials from the earth then firing them to temperatures of 2400 degrees is carrying on a tradition of dedication and craftsmanship that began thousands of years ago.My goal is to make functional pottery that is beautiful to the eye, awakens the imagination and is delightful to use.