Clive Bowen was born in Cardiff in 1943. He studied painting and etching before taking up a pottery apprenticeship. He has been making wood-fired earthenware at Shebbear Pottery since 1971.
Clive Bowen is one of Britain’s finest studio potters. He is internationally known and respected for his powerful yet intimate pieces, with his works widely exhibited in the UK and throughout Europe, North America and Japan.
From his Devon studio, Clive produces slip-decorated earthenware pots, which he says are “… all basically to do with food and presenting food, I’ve always been about that.” Clive uses the local Fremington clay, a red earthenware clay used for centuries for traditional North Devon wares. His work is mostly wheel thrown with some hand-pressed dishes. Making their debut with us are new extruded vessels for flower displays, heavily influenced by Japanese vases.
Lately, he has been decorating his pieces whilst listening to music, often jazz. The rhythm and energy of the music is felt and channeled through his fingers, whether in direct contact with the slip or via slip trailing, combing and sgraffito.
Clive fires his work in his large double-chambered wood-firing kiln.
