Born in 1936, Richard Batterham studied pottery under Donald Potter, himself a student of famous Arts and Crafts sculptor and designer Eric Gill. After spending time in St. Ives working under Bernard Leach, where he and his future wife also encountered the son of acclaimed Japanese potter Shōji Hamada, he relocated to Durweston where he established his own kiln and involved himself in every stage of his works’ creation. From digging his own clay right through firing and labelling his works, Batterham’s dedication to his craft reveals itself in every pot he’s made.
His works are functional yet beautiful, with simplistic forms that are nonetheless incredibly tactile and satisfying.
“...it’s how the clay is handled that really makes a difference. I like to make something you can hold. If someone really hugs onto a pot, that’s lovely and just how it should be”.
Batterham has work in the Tate Collections and the V&A, and his pottery is incredibly collectable.