Artist's Statement

I make porcelain which explores and extends the qualities associated with this beautiful material. I make functional pots which range in scale from fine delicate cups for tea or cider to large unexpectedly rugged slab dishes and plates.

The forms are either thrown or slab-­built with surfaces which are pierced, stretched, carved and ribbed. I use combinations of coloured clays which react differently in the kiln, giving subtle changes of colour and texture.

My pots are functional but they are also decorative and can be hung on walls; taken down and used. The pots which we use every day can change how we see or feel about the food which we place in them. I put apples and plums into the dishes with care, enjoying their softness.

The firing plays an important role in determining how my pots look since no glaze is applied to the exterior, instead a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and water is sprayed into the kiln as it reaches "white heat". I enjoy the way in which the soda glaze marks and articulates the surface of the forms with the trace of flame and vapour. It is a dramatic and exciting procedure which is the final creative act in my making process.

Jack Doherty - December 2000.

Current Work

Soda-fired porcelain. Functional work and large dishes and wall pieces.

Work generally available from:
Contemporary Ceramics, Marshall Street, London
Alpha House Gallery, Sherbourne, Dorset
Bircham Gallery, Norfolk
Candover Gallery, Alresford, Hampshire
Royal Exchange, Manchester
Burnham Grapevine Gallery, Norfolk
Grapevine Gallery, Norfolk.
Alpha House Gallery, Sherborne, Dorset
Round House Gallery, Derbyshire
Stour Gallery, Shipton on Stour Warwickshire
Wessex Fine Art & Ceramics(Dorset Gallery)
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool
Broughton Gallery, Broughton, Scotland

Also work may be purchased direct by visiting the show-room in my studio

Other Information: I also give demonstrations and lectures. I run an annual Summer workshop, offering all participants an opportunity to develop their skills, experiment with altering thrown forms and offer a fresh approach to decoration.(suitable both for newcomers and experienced potters - contact as above for details, or look at the events listing for July/August/September)

Recent Demonstrations and Workshops
1993 - "Salt and Soda" Royal Forest of Dean College;
1993 - Jack Doherty Summer Workshops, Herefordshire (ongoing each year);
1993 - "Integrated Clay" West Hertfordshire College.
1995 - "Clay Live" Tiverton, Devon.
1996 - The Clay Connection Workshop, Washington, USA;
1996 - The 92nd St. Y. Workshop, New York, USA;
1996 - Workshop and Residency, City Museum, Stoke-on-Trent;
1996 - International Potters Festival, Malta.
1997 - "Visions and Tradition" Saltglaze Symposium, Princesshof Museum, Holland;
1997 - Workshop/lecture Tour, USA.
1999 - Scottish Potters; Northern Potters Porcelain Workshop.
2000 - Master class Chagford, Devon;
2000 - International Ceramics Symposium Israel.
 

Technical Information

Propane catenary arch soda kiln; fired to cone 10.
All the pots are 'once fired' and two kilograms of soda is sprayed into the kiln at cone 8.

Awards

1972 - Alice Berger Hammerschlag Trust Award.
1974 - Gold Medal International Ceramics Exhibition, Faenza Italy.
1976 - Gold Medal International Ceramics Biennial, Vallauris France.
1986 - Marketing/Publicity Grant, Crafts Council.
1988 - lst Prize West Midlands Arts Touring Exhibition.
1993 - West Midlands Arts Craft Initiative Grant.

Publications

1982 - "Crafts in Ulster" Peter Dormer, Crafts Magazine.
1983 - "Making a Tradition" Sean McCrum, Irish Times.
1987 - "Jack Doherty's Porcelain" Ceramic Review.
1991 - "Dictionary of Practical Pottery" Robert Fournier.
1992 - "Potters" Craft Potters Association.
1994 - "Porcelain" Caroline Whyman, Batsford;
1994 - "Soda Glazing" Ruthanne Tudball, A&C Black.
1998 - "A Song of Today" by Josie Walter, Ceramic Review May-June 1998.
1999 - "Reputations" by Anatol Orient, Ceramic Review July August 1999.
2002 - "Porcelain" by Jack Doherty, A&C Black.

Selected Exhibitions

1974 - International Ceramics Exhibition, Faenza ltaly.
1976 - International Ceramics Biennial, Vallauris France.
1977 - "Workmanship" Kilkenny Design Workshops, Dublin.
1980 - "Handmade" Arts Council of Northern Ireland touring exhibition;
1980 - "British Ceramics and Wood" Museum of Art and Craft, Hamburg Germany.
1981 - "Handmade for Exhibition" Form/Design Centre Malmo Sweden.
1982 - "Inlaid Ceramics" British Crafts Centre, London;
1982 - "British Contemporary Crafts" Houston Texas.
1983 - Ulster Museum Belfast.
1986 - "New Members Show" Contemporary Ceramics Shop London.
1987 - "Summer Pots" Peter Dingley Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon.
1988 - "CPA at the Bluecoat" Bluecoat Centre Liverpool;
1988 - "Teller und Schale" Claudia Krempl Gallery, Baldham Germany;
1988 - "CPA 2" Mid Cornwall Gallery.
1989 - "Potters 89" Contemporary Ceramics Shop London;
1989 - "Showcase" Contemporary Ceramics Shop London;
1989 - "A Handful of Clay" Design Centre and Bohams, London;
1989 - "The CPA in Wales" Porticus Gallery, Llandrindod Wells.
1990 - "Trio" Peter Dingley Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon;
1990 - "The CPA Goes South" Bettles Gallery, Ringwood, Hampshire
1991 - "North of Watford Gap" CPA Touring Exhibition.
1992 - "Summer Images" Terrace Gallery, Worthing;
1992 - "New Ceramics" Small Mansion Arts Centre, London.
1993 - "Salzbrand" Koblenz, Germany;
1993 - "Art and Design Matters" Ulster Museum, Belfast.
1994 - Bettles Gallery, Ringwood Hampshire;
1994 - "Eye on the Landscape" Church House Designs, Congresbury;
1994 - "Playing with Fire" Victoria and Albert Museum, London;
1994 - "Britain in Greece" Athens.
1995 - "Three Dimensions" Montpellier Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon;
1995 - "Made in the Middle" Touring Exhibition, West Midlands Arts;
1995 - The Royal Exchange Craft Centre, Manchester.
1996 - Anderson Gallery, Broadway, Worcestershire;
1996 - Alpha House Gallery, Sherborne.
1997 - "Songs in Salt" Princesshof Museum, Leewarden, Holland;
1997 - Domestic Warehouse, Rufford Craft Centre.
1998 - "Coolclay" Rufford Craft Centre;
1998 - Solo Exhibition, Contemparary Ceramics, London.
1999 - "Contemporary British Ceramics" Plymouth Arts Centre;
1999 - 12 Ceramistes Britaniques Galerie Hamelin Honfleur France;
1999 - "Objects of the Fire" Aylesbury Museum;
1999 - " Salt and Soda" Leicester City Museum;
1999 - Bircham Gallery Norfolk.
2000 - Alpha House Gallery, Dorset;
2000 - Eton Applied Arts, Windsor museum;
2000 - "Below the Salt" Portsmouth Museum;
2000 - "Inspired Choices" Morley Gallery London
2001 - "Expanding our views" Loes and Reinier Deventer Holland

Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Ulster Museum.
Museum of Ceramics, Faenza, Italy.
Cheltenham Museum.
Liverpool Museum.
Crafts Council of Ireland.
Princesshof Ceramics Museum, Holland
City Museum, Stoke-on-Trent