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Craig Underhill
Ceramicist
Artists Statement:
"I am a ceramic artist who uses mark making and drawing techniques to create rich, painterly surfaces on slab built vessel forms that suggest landscape I have visited or travelled through.
I prefer the softer surface that is achieved by using my hands to make a slab, as opposed to the harder and flatter finish achieved with a slab roller.
Texture is added to the soft slab of clay. Simple wooden tools are used to draw lines into the leatherhard surface. Coloured engobe is used like paint to create the surface imagery. I am cutting shapes from a slab ready to assemble into vessel forms. Pressure is applied with my fingers to make the joins secure. The vessel form is built up using sections of clay. A slab of clay is made bigger by throwing and stretching. I generally work on a group of 4 or 5 pieces at the same time." - Craig Underhill
Craig Underhill works and lives in Birmingham, UK.
1968 Born in Glasgow, Scotland.
1985 Left school and started full time course in general art and design at
Derbyshire College of HE.
1987 HND ceramics course at Harrow College
1989 BA hons in Fine Art specialising in Ceramics at Portsmouth Polytechnic.
1990 Set up Bartonfields Pottery with partner Emma Spence and started
teaching at Burton College.
1992 Joined BET 4 Artists group and over the next 5 years took part in
exhibitions locally and in France and Germany.
1997 Moved to Stourbridge. Started lecturing job at Dudley College. Built new studio in the garden.
2005 5 Ways in Clay exhibition at Living Gallery in Stourbridge.
2002 Back to the Beach Exhibition at Rufford Craft Gallery, Nottinghamshire.
2004 Application accepted to exhibit at Earth and Fire ceramics fair at
Rufford, Nottinghamshire. Awarded Arts Council grant for producing and promoting a new body of work.
2005 Reduced teaching commitment at Dudley College to focus on developing and making new work. Exhibited at Tim Andews Woodbury Gallery, Stour Gallery, Art in Clay at Hatfield House and in a Joint exhibition with Sam Hall at Yorkshire Sculpture Lounge. Became Professional member of the Craft Potters Association
2006 Built new and larger studio in the garden. Received 2nd Arts Council
grant for producing and promoting a new body of work. Exhibited at
Gallery Top and Roundhouse Gallery.
2007 Exhibited at Lund Gallery and Bevere Gallery. Exhibited at Porthminster Gallery, St Ives and continues to exhibit there as one of their gallery
artists.
2008 Solo show at Alpha House Gallery. Exhibited at Contemporary Ceramics and New Ashgate Gallery
2009 Exhibited at Gallery Top and Ceramic Art London at the Royal College of Art.
2010 Exhibited at Gallery Top and Ceramic Art London at the Royal College of Art
2012 Solo Exhibition at Porthminster Gallery, St. Ives.
2013 Invited artist at Landscape and Ceramics symposium, Kecskemet,
Hungary.