Artwork for Jon Williams
Jon Williams - Wild Doughnut Flower Meadow (detail) -200x200x50 mm
Jon Williams - Wild Doughnut Flower Meadow (detail) -200x200x50 mm
Jon Williams - Wild Doughnut Flower Meadow
Jon Williams - Terracotta Bee Bee #2 by Jon Williams 210x120x11 0 mm
Jon Williams - Terracotta Bee Bee #2 by Jon Williams 210x120x11 0 mm
Jon Williams - Bug Rattle - interactive ceramics 80x60x60mm
Jon Williams - Submerged Bubble Fish - interactive ceramics - 130x100x80 mm
Jon Williams - Submerged Wide Mouthed Bubble Fish - 150x100x100 mm
Details
I was born in 1969 and as a child loved drawing and messing about with clay in the garden. At the age of 15 I encountered the head of my local art-school and in a blinding revelation, realised that ‘art’ could be a job! I studied in Swindon & then Bath, my experience culminating in a 1st class degree in ceramics and 3d design. Whilst at Art School I met my future wife and fellow potter Sarah Monk and in 1994 we moved to Herefordshire and founded Eastnor Pottery. We have three children in their 20’s all working in the creative industries…but strangely, not in clay!
Educational and community experiences
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. If I’m working on the potter’s wheel, freshly thrown forms are stretched, pulled and distorted. At leather hard stage, thrown elements are cut and assembled 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!
EDUCATION
1989-1992 Bath College of Higher Education
BA Hons in Ceramics and 3D Design (First Class)
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROJECTS:
2013-2024 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 – 2024 Delivered ‘Flying Potter’ training & development workshops. Clients include: MOD, SC Johnson, Unilever, Campbells, Nat West, ICI. Carlsberg, BT. Procter & Gamble, Red Bull.
EXHIBITIONS
1993 – 2024 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 – 2024 Professional member CPA
Fresh Air Sculpture - Quenington 16 June - 7 July 2024
Sculpture at Kingham Lodge 20 - 29 May 2023
Contemporary Ceramics - London
