Tony Orvis: Potter

Simple forms with a muted, limited palette and random surface textures

Tony Orvis Potter at work

Rutland based Potter Tony Orvis is joining us for several ESC Artists events in 2021

Stamford Arts Centre:  

  • Gallery Exhibition: 19 – 31 October 2021
  • Artist Market: Sunday, 31st October 2021

Rutland Garden Village Craft Bazaar in the Conservatory:

  • Saturday to Tuesday: 31 July – 3 August 2021

Most of my current work is inspired by aspects of the sea, coast, weathered rocks and distressed wood and metal.

Taking early retirement from business gave me the opportunity to attend art classes, something that I had always wanted to do but like many people never had the time. I was particularly attracted by print making and spent a number of years printing in my own studio and at Leicester Print Workshop.

I was then introduced to pottery and was hooked! Working with clay gives the opportunity to make a wide variety of forms which, together with surface textures, slips and glazes gives the freedom to take an “artistic” approach and widens creative possibilities.

After setting up my own studio at home I rented a pottery at Unique Cottage Studios, Spalding. I held weekly classes there, teaching around sixty adults per week but stopped teaching in 2017 to concentrate on my own work.

Most of my current work is inspired by aspects of the sea, coast, weathered rocks and distressed wood and metal. These references are used as starting points with the pots developing from there. The pots are not intended to replicate exact images but to convey an overall atmosphere.

Simple forms with a muted, limited palette and random surface textures are at the heart of this work which bind the pots together as a body of work.

Nearly all of the pots have been thrown on the wheel with some having been altered. The nature of the process means that each pot is unique. In fact I would find it difficult to make any two the same.

Contact Tony
www.tonyorvis.co.uk / Instagram: www.instagram.com/tony.orvis/

all images © Tony Orvis