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View Image Gallery Stephen Murfitt(Full member)

Tel: +44(0)1353721160   Email:   Web: www.stephenmurfitt.co.uk  

Artist's Statement

Stephen's work is concerned with the exploration of form and surface, which evolves through a gradual process of hand-building and refinement. Since leaving college he has experimented with the Raku firing process, which produces an infinite range of possibilities for rich and varied surfaces.
Stephen’s ceramics have been exhibited widely and are held in many private and public collections. Recent work has been for specific architectural spaces. Corporate clients have included: Coopers and Lybrand, Lovells, the international law firm and The Royal Bank of Scotland, all based in London. Author of The Glaze Book, published by Thames and Hudson in 2002.

Current Work and Availability

My work continues to be hand built, often beginning with a thrown base.  The forms are altered by pressing, cutting and beating. These techniques leave significant marks which are then supplemented by impressing various textured surfaces into the leather-hard clay. Glazes and oxides are then used more sparingly to enhance and reveal these marks while more smoked and blackened areas of the form are left exposed. 

Work available at:
The Gallery Upstairs, Henley-in-Arden, Warks.
Atticus Gallery, Bath.
View Gallery, Thames Ditton, Surrey.
The Old Fire Engine House, Ely, Cambs.
International Art Consultants Ltd, London.

 

Technical Information

The clay used is a mixture of Earthstone handbuilding body and white stoneware. The glazes have evolved over many years and are based on Borax and alkaline frits, combined with china clay, ball clay and various colouring oxides, depending on the surface effects required. The work is bisque fired to C1020⁰ and then Raku fired with the associated reduction process. The larger forms begin with a thrown base, which is then coiled onto. Smaller forms are thrown and altered and sometimes press moulded.

Career and Education Background

Educated at Cambridge School of Art, West Surrey College of Art and Design, Farnham and Middlesex Polytechnic.
Since leaving college Stephen has combined making and teaching at various schools and colleges. 

Exhibitions

Work has been widely exhibited, most recently at:
2001 - The Hart Gallery, London (solo)
2001 - ‘Abstract Works’, Artmonsky Arts, London (group)
2001 - The Hart Gallery at Phillips Auctioneers, London (group)
2001 - Conservatory Gallery, Cambridge (3 person)
2001 - ‘Ouverture’, Galerie Place Neuve, France (group)
2001 - ‘Art é Nîm’, Contemporary Art Fair, Nîmes, France (group)
2002 - ‘Pots’, Babylon Gallery, Ely (3 person)
2003 - ‘Form and Surface, Pelican Gallery, Perse School, Cambridge (2 person)

2003 - ‘Untamed’, Conservatory Gallery, Cambridge (3 person)
2006 - ‘Scratch the Surface’, Atticus Arts, Bath (group)
2006 - View Gallery, Thames Ditton (2 person)
2007 - Bettles Gallery, Ringwood (2 person)
2007 - ‘Autumn Exhibition’, Angela Mellor Gallery, Ely (group)
2009 - The Old Fire Engine House, Ely (2 person)

2010 - Haddenham Galleries, Cambs., Anglian Potters selected members (group)
2010 - ‘Winter Exhibition’, The Gallery Upstairs, Henley-in-Arden (group)
2011 - May : the Wyle Valley Art trail in Wiltshire, (feature exhibition)
2011 - May : Selected Anglian Potters at the Dolby Gallery, Oundle.
2011 - July (first 4 weekends) The Cambridge Open Studios.
2011 -November through to January, Selected Anglian Potters, Winter Exhibition at the Appleyard Gallery, Holt in Norfolk.
2012 - ‘Kings’ Connections’ at Kings College Cambridge

Profile Image

Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk -

View Image Gallery Selected Images

Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk - Carved and Lustred Form, 40cm across. 2010. Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk - Green and Lustred Vessel, 54cm high. 2010.
Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk - 2012. Textured Lustred Vessel, height 14cm Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk - Large Lustred Vessel, 52cm high. 2010.
Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk - 2012. Red Textured Vessel, height 14cm Ceramics by Stephen Murfitt at Studiopottery.co.uk - 2012. Textured Vessels, height of tallest 15cm

Contact Details

Studio Address: The Workshop, 18 Stretham Road, Wicken, nr. Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, CB7 5XH.
View in Google Maps

Telephone: +44(0)1353721160
Email:
Web-site: www.stephenmurfitt.co.uk

Availability: By appointment.

Joined on: 2010-11-30
Last Updated: 2012-04-04

Events featuring this potter

Open Studio - Stephen Murfitt : Stephen Murfitt, open studio in July
July 07, 2012 to July 29, 2012

Pyramid Gallery : Solo Show - Stephen Murfitt - ceramics
September 01, 2012 to October 09, 2012

Old Fire Engine House, The : New Work - ceramics in Ely
November 02, 2012 to November 25, 2012

Work styles:

Raku
Handbuilt
Vases & Bowls
Sculptural
Architectural

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