Richard Godfrey (1949 – 13 December 2014) was an English
studio potter
Studio pottery is pottery made by professional and amateur artists or artisans working alone or in small groups, making unique items or short runs. Typically, all stages of manufacture are carried out by the artists themselves.Emmanuel Cooper, ...
working in
Battisborough Cross,
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
England.
Early life and education
Godfrey graduated from
Bristol School of Art
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in S ...
in 1972 having been taught by
.
Career
From 1973 to 1981 he was Head of Art and Deputy Headmaster at Battisborough International School, Devon
which was founded by
Kurt Hahn.
Having set up his first workshop, he made production thrown ware for
Cranks restaurant.
Godfrey was a fellow of the
Craft Potters Association
The Craft Potters Association (CPA) is an association of potters formed in 1958 in London. It has two wholly owned operating companies: Craftsmen Potters Trading Company Ltd and Ceramic Review Publishing Ltd.
It owns a shop and gallery, the Con ...
and known primarily for his brightly coloured
earthenware
Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ce ...
pottery which used composite underglaze patterns.
Godfrey won the Bronze award at the European Ceramics Competition in Athens 2004 and at the Art in Clay festival in 2013 he was voted winner of the Valentine Clays Peers Award for best contribution to the festival. He lectured, demonstrated and exhibited widely and was the subject of two television documentaries.
Godfrey's work combined thrown and hand built forms made with white earthenware clay, inspired by observing his surroundings and found objects. His teapots were often made using non traditional press moulding techniques, utilising cut cardboard boxes. Potter Hannah McAndrew described his work as "bright beasts, immaculately made, vibrant and smiling".
Godfrey died on 13 December 2014
after suffering with cancer for two years.
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Godfrey, Richard
1949 births
2014 deaths
English potters
English ceramicists
Artists from Devon