Barry Pratt Ceramics
“Using the female form and its characteristics as inspiration, I strive to resolve the innate conflict between the softness of the human body and the hardness of inert fired clay. Satisfaction for me lies in how people respond to my work and whether I can retain those special elements that have made the female form so enduring for artists over the centuries.”
I was born in St. Albans in 1944, studied ceramics and glass at Shenstone College and Stourbridge College of Art in the 1960’s. I was greatly influenced by the ‘Modern Potters Movement’ and later by the photography of Bill Brant and the timeless, beautiful work of artists such as Rubens, Ram, Lempicka, Botero and Freud.
Today I work in my studio in Great Massingham, North Norfolk. My sculptures are pre-dominately stoneware fired at 1280°c, which makes them ideal for display inside, and perfect for the garden. Using my own mixtures of clays and glazes I create my uniquely original textured ‘stone like’ pieces.
My sculptures are in private collections in Canada, USA, Italy, Singapore and throughout the UK and have been exhibited in countless venues including The Icon Gallery, Foyles, Birmingham University, Leeds Museum and annually I take part in the North Norfolk Open Studios.