Gareth Mason, in his own words:

\\\"The materials of ceramics have in my view tremendous evocative power.  Their melt and colour, their depth, texture and surface tension, are all are replete with communicative potential.  I want to give concrete form to the astonishing transformative force that is ceramic experience.  I also want to feel.  Materials can give so much more than orthodoxy (the rule book) dictates.  They have distinctive accents, aromas, flavours, feelings – they are, in all their diversity, way markers on the rocky road to aesthetic arousal.

I am closely acquainted with risk; risk employed mindfully, as a foil to complacency.  Firing is not necessarily the final act: I will return work to the furnace repeatedly – re-visiting the canvas – and I am wont to incorporate elements that diverge wildly from the conventional potters palette. This obsessive-compulsive flirtation with disaster keeps me on my toes, alive to the work as it evolves.\\\"

Ceramics, of all the arts, has such a plethora of material voices.  I treat them as assets, ready for deployment; to speak, whisper, sing or scream as is their wont.  Contriving this arcane language is a mysterious process, but one in which I am fully engaged.  I treat diverse surface qualities like jazz improvisation, trying out different relationships, energies and moods.  I find harmony and dissonance in the fluid conditions that arise under the mercurial influence of fire, and I revel in them both.\\\"

The material alchemy of ceramics is both my inheritance and playground.  I embrace it wholly.  I will never seek to tame the dragon; rather, I work to earn its indulgence.\\\"

//

 

About the Artist:

 

Gareth Mason is a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association and Brother of the Art Workers Guild, London.  His work is exhibited regularly in solo and group exhibitions both in England and Europe.  In February 2011, his first solo exhibition in America, entitled ‘Other Forces,’ was held in the Jason Jacques Gallery in Manhattan.  A short film about his practice entitled ‘White’ was awarded Grand Prix at the Projections D’Argile film festival, Montpellier, France in 2002.  In 2006, he participated in the European Keramik Symposium, Gmunden, and the accompanying European touring exhibition.

A major solo exhibition entitled ‘An Unfolding Narrative’ was held in 2007 at Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts House.  He is a member of the International Association for Ceramic Art Education and Exchange and contributed to their conferences in Farnham (England), Nairobi (Kenya), and Icheon (Korea).  His vessel, ‘Open’, received an Honorable Mention Award at the World Ceramic Biennale Exhibition, Yeoju, Korea 2009.  Recent talks and demonstrations include: invited speaker at the 2008 CAAI International Ceramics Conference, Tel Hai, Israel; and Invited Speaker at 2009 Ege University International Art Days symposium, Izmir, Turkey. Mason also presented an address, ‘Fire, Ceramics Mystery, and Creativity’ in the Lecture Series at the 2011 Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Fair, Chicago, and was a Visiting Artist at California State University, Long Beach, in October of the same year.

His most recent shows include ‘Fire and Wax,’ a two-person exhibition with New York painter Martin Kline in 2012, and ‘Friendship Forged in Fire’ at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in 2013, his first exhibition in California. He lives and works in Hampshire, England.

 

 

 

Solo Exhibitions

2011 Other Forces, Jason Jacques Gallery, New York, NY, USA, Feb 9th _ March 9th
2010 Focus, Contemporary Applied Arts, London, September
2009 Terrain, Kunstforum Solothurn, Switzerland, April-May 
2007 New Work, Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh, August An Unfolding Narrative, Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts House, May
2005 Celadon and Sang de Bouef, Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh, August Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, April/May
2003 New Work, Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh, July/August
2001 Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, October/November
1999 Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, March/April
1998 Space Craft, the Bracknell Gallery, March/April

Group
2013 Ceramics Now, Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, UK, May-June 
Friendship Forged in Fire: British Ceramics in America, AMOCA, Los Angeles, USA, Feb-May
In Praise of Chance and Failure, Family Business Gallery, Chelsea, NYC, USA, April

2012 Design Miami, Florida, USA, represented by Jason Jacques Gallery, December
SOFA Chicago, represented by Mindy Solomon Gallery, November
Joanna Bird at Colefax and Fowler, London, October/November
Fire and Wax, two person, with Martin Kline; part of Masters, Old and New by Piacenti Gallery, London, June/July
Porcelain – The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, May
AADLA Spring Show, Park Avenue Armoury, New York, represented by Jason Jacques, May
10 for 10X2, 10th Anniversary New Acquisitions, Arizona State University Art Museum, April

2011 Introduction, Mindy Solomon Gallery, St Petersburg, Florida, USA, May
SOFA Chicago, represented by Mindy Solomon Gallery, November
‘Through 50’, Contemporary Ceramics Centre, London, January/February

2010 Art Workers Guild, London, members’ exhibition, September
2010 IFAADS, Park Avenue Armoury, New York NY, represented by Jason Jacques, October
‘A Living Space’ curated by Kit Kemp, Contemporary Applied Arts, London, September
CPA Select, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, July
Pure Space, Beijing, China, May/June
Tokyo Academy for the Arts, September

2009 Ege University Art Days Exhibition, Izmir, Turkey, December
Craft Potters Association Collection, New Ashgate Gallery, June
‘Porcelain, White Gold’, Musée Bellerive, Zurich, July - October
‘Collect’, 2009, represented by Contemporary Ceramics, Saatchi Gallery, London, May
World Ceramic Biennale Exhibition (WOCEF), Icheon, Korea, April
ISCAEE, World Ceramic Jamboree, Yeoju, Korea, April
Tokyo Academy for the Arts, Japan, February

2008 Winter Exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, October
‘Formed’, Contemporary Ceramics, London, September
ISCAEE, Nairobi National Museum, Kenya, August
28 Concurso Internacional de Cerámica l’Alcora 2008 international ceramics competition and exhibition, Spain; finalist, July - September
‘Object, Vessel’, Kunstforum Solothurn, Switzerland: Group exhibition of British Ceramics with Sandy Brown, Jane Perryman, Gabrielle Koch, Elizabeth Fritsch, Emmanuel Cooper, June - July
Leach Pottery, British Ceramics inaugural exhibition, April
International Keramik Symposium Gmunden touring exhibition, Museo Nacional de Ceramica y Artes, Valencia, Spain, April – June

2007 Bettles Gallery Ringwwod, December
Milton Gallery, Barnes, December
Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, November
Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Hohr-Grenzhausen, Germany: Keramik Symposium Exhibition, September/October
New Members’ Exhibition, The Art Workers Guild, London, September
‘The Pot, The Object and The Vessel’, Aberystwyth, June 29 - Sep 1 2007, an exhibition celebrating 50 years of the CPA (Craft Potters Association) at the University of Aberystwyth, Wales and touring to 2008
Galerie Im Freihof Sulz, Austria: Keramik Symposium Exhibition, May
‘Collect’, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, represented by Contemporary Ceramics, Feb

2006 Fine Art Society, London, December.
International Keramik Symposium, Keramik Kunstwerkstatt, Gmunden, Austria, October
New Ashgate Gallery, Autumn Exhibition, September
Art Workers Guild, Members’ New work, September
‘Traditional yet Contemporary’, part of ‘Think Korea 2006’. An exhibition of contemporary Korean and UK ceramics, Air Gallery, London, May
‘Pure Porcelain’, Joanna Bird Ceramics, London, May
‘What a dish!’ Contemporary Ceramics, London, April
Showcase, the Crafts Study Centre, Farnham, February

2005 The New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, November/December
The New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, April

2004 ‘Objects of Desire’, the Fine Art Society, London, December
‘Bloomers’, Contemporary Ceramics, London, May
‘Totally Teabowls’, Oakwood Gallery, Edwinstowe, March
‘Collect’, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, represented by Contemporary Ceramics, February

2003 ‘Art for Christmas’, the Fine Art Society, London, December
‘Bowls, etc’, Carlin Gallery of Contemporary Craft, Paris, December
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, March

2002 ‘Art for Christmas’, The Fine Art Society, London, December
SOFA (Sculptural Objects, Functional Art), Chicago Pier, USA, represented by Contemporary Ceramics, October
’10 Years On’, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, March
‘Totally Teabowls’, Oakwood Gallery, Edwinstowe, March/April

2001 FAS NOW, The Fine Art Society, London, December
‘A Celebration of the Bowl’, Candover Gallery, Alresford, October
Summer Exhibition, Maltby Contemporary Art, Winchester, August
‘Simple and Pure’, Contemporary Ceramics, London, July
St David’s Hall, Cardiff, two-person, June
Showcase, Beatrice Royal, Hants, April
‘T’, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, April

2000 ‘Art for Christmas’, the Fine Art Society, London, December
Winter Showcase, Beatrice Royal, Hants, November
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, May/June, three-person show
Midwinter Exhibition, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, February

1999 ‘A Retrospective Future’, Design Gallery, Leeds City Art Gallery, December/January
‘Art for Christmas’, The Fine Art Society, London, December
‘Ceramicists of Fame and Promise’, Beaux Arts, Bath, July
Design and Food, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, June
Westerwald Ceramics Prize, Hohr–Grenzhausen, Germany, March
Spring Showcase, Beatrice Royal Gallery, Hants, March
Porcelain Pots, Pyramid Gallery, York, February

1998 Art for Christmas, The Fine Art Society, London, December
‘Teapots’, Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh, December
‘Distinctly Different’, Cranleigh Arts, October
‘Extension’, Pots of Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand, May/June
The Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award and Exhibition, Auckland, New Zealand, April/May
‘The Blues’, Winchester Contemporary Art, January

1997                
‘Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh’, Winchester Contemporary Art, December
‘Clay for Today’, The Maltings Gallery, Farnham, November
‘Makers’ Choice’, Winchester Contemporary Art, March

1993              
The International Ceramics Festival, Mino, Japan

1992
The Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award and Exhibition, Auckland, New Zealand

Collections
Arizona State University Art Museum Ceramics Research Centre, USA; California State University, Long Beach, USA; Arts Foundation, Izmir, Turkey; Hae Gang Museum, Icheon, Korea; Ege üniversitesi, Turkey; Nairobi National Museum, Kenya; Ariana Museum, Geneva, Switzerland; Afyon Kocatepe University, Turkey; The International Keramik Museum, Gmunden, Austria; The Royal Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh; Adam and Company, London; McManus Galleries and Museum, Dundee; Flemming Collection, London; Bryanston Collection, Dorset; James Wallace Arts Trust, Auckland, New Zealand; South Hill Park, Berkshire; private collections internationally.

Awards
Arts Council England, Grants for the Arts Award, 2011
Nominated for Arts Foundation Award 2011
Honourable Mention, World Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, Korea 2009
Grants for the Arts award, Arts Council England, 2006
Grand Prix, ‘White’, Projections D’Argile Film Festival, Montpellier, France, 2002
South Hill Park Development Award 1998
Arts council Development Funding, ‘Space Craft’, 1998
National Lottery, ‘A4E’ Express Award 1997

Associations 
Professional Associate Member, Farnham Arts Society 2012 -
International Society for Ceramic Art Education and Exchange 2007 - 
Member of Contemporary Applied Arts, London 2009 -
Fellow of the Craft Potters Association, London 2007 -
Brother of the Art Workers Guild, London 2004 -
Member of the Board of Trustees, the New Ashgate Gallery 2007 - 2011 
Professional member, Craft Potters Association, London 1998 - 2007

Books
Other Forces, exhibition book, Jason Jacques Gallery Press, ISBN: 978-1-4583-3763-4, February 2011
Advanced Pottery by Linda Bloomfield, Robert Hale, Jan 2011
The Art workers Guild 125 years, by Lara Platman, Unicorn Press, December 2009
Contemporary Ceramics - International Perspective by Emmanuel Cooper, November 2009
The Ceramics Book Ceramic Review Publishing Ltd. February 2006, June 2008
The Pot, the Vessel, the Object. Fifty Years of Change and Diversity in the Craft Potters Association. Ceramic
Review publishing, 2007
The Glaze Book by Stephen Murfitt, Thames and Hudson, January 2002

Publications / Periodicals / Media
2013 Feature, The Joan Quinn Profiles, West Hollywood City Television, Los Angeles, USA, March
Friendship Forged in Fire exhibition booklet, AMOCA, California, March
2012 Art, Antiques and Luxury Design: Young/Old Masters Hit St James, London. Internet review by Andrés Olow Clase, June

Featured Artist, Laguna Clay Company, Los Angeles, California, USA, January
2011 Lancia Trend Visions – Forces of Nature, web review of Other Forces, December
Mark Murphy Design: Gareth Mason, The Vessel As Medium, web profile, November
SOFA Chicago, Catalogue, November
Ceramics, Art and Perception: CAL 2011. Review by Tim Andrews
Ceramic Review no. 248: ‘Extended Learning’, John Mahoney Philips, February 
2010 Ceramic Review no. 245: ‘Rising From The Ashes’, September
2009 SZ Kultur, Switzerland: Terrain, article by Eva Bhurfiend, May 2009
Ceramic Review no. 237: ‘Ritual and Setting’ exhibition (reviewer)
Ceramic Review no. 236: ISCAEE 2008 Kenya, report, February
KeramikMagazinEuropa: (Cover) article by Gabi Dewald, January
2008