Jon Williams
Artwork for Jon Williams
Details
How would you describe the work you do and why?
Through skilful facilitation and a love of clay and people in equal measure, I travel all over the West Midlands and beyond exploring and developing creativity in others. I regularly work in early year’s settings, schools, libraries, art galleries and museums, encouraging people to play and express themselves in clay. My approach has its roots in Reggio Emilia philosophy. Reggio is a pedagogy based upon self-directed, experiential learning. Children, young people and adults are offered a range of tools, materials and environments and encouraged to develop their own, totally unique way of working. When I get opportunity to produce my own ceramics, I approach my making in a similar fashion to my social engagement work. The concept of play is at the centre of everything. Nearly all my work starts its life on the potter’s wheel. Freshly thrown forms are stretched, pulled and distorted. At leather hard stage, thrown elements are cut and assembled, sometimes as carefully measured kits, othertimes in an intuitive and experimental fashion. I might start with an idea but the process of playing and making will facilitate all sorts of shapes and solutions. Some pieces are intended to live outside, some are designed to be handled, shaken, tapped or submersed in water! I’ve even collaborated with a digital sound artist to produce a series of ceramic musical bees. These were touch sensitive and emitted a ‘buzz’ when stroked. Each bee possessed a different note so the whole installation could be played like a key-board – a bee-board if you will!
For you what does being an artist mean?:
Everything! It being independant, resourceful, resiliant and creative whilst having a shed load of fun. I enjoy partnership working with individuals and organisations and am always up for a collaboration.
Describe what you call yourself/your practice?:
It's always really hard to describe what I do, as my creative practice is so varied and wide-ranging. I am The Flying Potter, I am a maker, a studio potter, a ceramic artist, educationalist and facilitator... I could go on.
Your practice & activities include e.g workshops, teaching:
I share Eastnor Pottery with my wife and fellow potter Sarah Monk. Although our ceramic work is very different to each other (chalk and cheese!) we collaborate on our courses, classes and experiences, taking it in turns to lead and support the sessions. You can spend 90 minutes, a day or weekend discovering your inner potter at our beautiful Herefordshire studio on the Eastnor Castle Estate. I do the majority of Flying Potter mobile studio work in the wider community.
CV & Education, relevant & leading to your artistic practice:
EDUCATION
1989-1992 Bath College of Higher Education
BA Hons in Ceramics and 3D Design (First Class)
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROJECTS:
2013-2025 Sunfield Residential School
Museum of Royal Worcester & Meadow Arts.
Making Together. Craftspace & Birmingham Settlement
Ceramic Garden Project – Creative Black Country
Hay Festival of Literature, Herefordshire
MakerShack – Cheltenham Science Festival
Happy Museums – Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton
YArt Project, Brightstripe CIC
Ledbury Primary School Nursery, Language & communication project
2011 - 2012 Claybabies – Just So family arts festival Cheshire
Moonbeams 3, MAC, Birmingham
Y-Art Project, Herefordshire Council youth service
Sky arts den – Cheltenham Literature Festival
Sky arts den – Bath Literature Festival
Muddy mountains, Madley Primary School Herefordshire, Creative Partnerships project
St Thomas Children’s Centre, Birmingham
Washwood Heath Nursery, Birmingham (current)
Brearley & Teviot Nursery, Birmingham
Colford Brick & Tile Co
2008-2010 Hay Festival of Literature, Hay-on-Wye
Solihull Library Service, West Midlands
Eastnor Castle, Hfds (current)
Evesham Nursery, Worcs
Three Counties Agricultural Society, Malvern, Worcs
2005 -2007 Beaufort Special School, Creative Partnerships project, Birmingham
Treasure Boxes, St Thomas Early Years Centre & Craftspace Touring Project, Birmingham
Vale of Evesham Special School, Worcs
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
1996 - 2024 Work with approx.40 schools and community settings per year in and around the West Midlands. These include Early Years, SEN, Children’s Centres, Museums, Libraries, Art Galleries, Charities and Festivals
CORPORATE WORKSHOPS
2003 – 2026 Delivered ‘Flying Potter’ training & development workshops. Clients include: MOD, SC Johnson, Unilever, Campbells, Nat West, ICI. Carlsberg, BT. Procter & Gamble, Red Bull and Google.
EXHIBITIONS
1993 – 2026 Exhibited extensively through-out the UK and abroad, taking part in major touring exhibitions. Venues including the V&A Museum and Crafts Council Gallery London. Most recently - Made In The Middle and Fresh Air Quenington.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2015 Ceramic Sound Art Trail in x3 Hereford Museums
2015 Sensational Clay Leamington Spa Art Gallery
2014 Sensational Clay Worcester Museum & Art Gallery
2012 Sensational Clay Tullie House, Carslile
2012 Sensational Clay New Brewery Arts Cirencester
2011 Sensational Clay Bilston Craft Gallery Wolverhampton
2010 Discovery Pots - Courtyard Theatre Hereford
1998 The Oxford Gallery
1997 The Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
1997 The New Ashgate Gallery Farnham
GALLERIES
1993 – 2005 Represented by selected galleries including Adrian Sassoon - London, Beaux Arts - Bath and Roger Billcliff – Glasgow.
GRANTS & AWARDS
2014 Grants for the Arts award – Arts Council England
2011 Grants for the Arts award - Arts Council England
2008 Feasibility Grant – Birmingham City Council
2007 Grants for the Arts award - Arts Council England
2003 Innovation & Development award – Herefordshire council
1994 Crafts Council setting up award
1993 PYBT business start-up grant
FAIRS
1994 – 2005 Exhibited at numerous shows and events including Chelsea Crafts Fair London, Art in Action Oxford, Artisan Edinburgh, Earth & Fire Rufford, Country Living Show London and Art in Clay – Hatfield.
PROFFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2012 Contributor & workshop provider at Early Arts Un-Conference MAC Birmingham
2010 Contributor to ‘Making Value: Craft and the economic and social contribution of makers’ A report published by the Crafts Council
2010 Maker ambassador at Assemble – The Crafts Council Conference London
2007/08 Leading Edge Practitioners Network – Creative Partnerships & Birmingham City Council.
1995 – 2026 Professional member CPA
Exhibitions in the last 3 years:
2024 & 2026 Fresh Air Sculpture - Quenington, Glos
2025 Kingham Sculpture Exhibition - Kingham, Cotswolds
Your gallery outlets/stockists:
Contemporary Ceramics Bloomsbury London