Bob Race
“I wish to create the impression of some beautiful fossil that has been unearthed rather than shaped by man, matching the leaves I use to each pot. My inspiration is the countryside around my studio. The elements themselves- the strength of the wind fanning the flames and the thickness of the leaves I pick- influence the colour of the pots. I like this spontaneity. It reflects the fact that man may harm nature but cannot tame it.”
Bob Race is a ceramicist who creates unique sculptural pieces by merging clay with metal. Since leaving a career in advertising and becoming a professional studio potter 12 years ago, his work has evolved from traditional small-scale bowl shapes to the more brutalised, large forms he is creating today. His work is characterised by an amalgamation of different techniques, substances and decorative approaches and a rejection of traditional forms, throwing, glazes and oxides. Each piece is painstakingly hand-built, sometimes glazed on the interior, while the exteriors feature a modern, minimalist aesthetic.