Mike Yates - Timeless Secrets

Last Friday Mike Yates, guest curator of the ceramics exhibition at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery entitled Timeless Secrets: Ceramic Artists in their own words, gave a free lunchtime talk. Mike has loaned many of his own pieces, and had fascinating tales to tell about many of them. In the case on the right as you look down the gallery, there's a painted plate made by an artist who discovered they sold much more successfully than his paintings. In the same case, there's an instantly recognisable pot by Sarah Purvey, one of several small pieces made for a particular gallery which all sold.
The left hand case holds older pieces owned by Mike and the Swindon Collection. Accompanying the collection are comments made the artists themselves, some of the quotes made are fascinating, it's well worth having a look at the laminated booklet that accompanies the exhibition.
This is what the Museum's website says about the exhibition:

'“Pottery has its own language and inherent laws, and words have theirs, and neither can be bound by the other. Nevertheless a certain amount of translation and interpretation is possible.” Bernard Leach
Timeless Secrets is an exhibition celebrating the artistic skills of potters and artists who work with clay. But it is more than that. Accompanying these art-works are comments made by the artists themselves. Over the years some ceramicists have spoken extensively about their work, while others have remained silent, letting their work speak for itself.
This exhibition is guest curated by the ceramics collector and writer Mike Yates, and features work by Charles Bound, Mo Jupp, John Maltby, Ray Finch, Jennifer Lee and Lucie Rie.
Sponsored by Joel and Vanetta Joffe'
 Here's Mike talking to the group:

and here he's referring to the case on the right with the more modern pieces, and Grant Aston's 'Radioactivat' just behind him on the left. Grant has agreed to come and give a talk to the Friends, I'm hoping we might be able to agree a date when he can come in 2019.

Here's Mike talking about the great ceramicists in the left hand case

Also it's great to see a whole page advertisement for this exhibition in the great magazine, Ceramic's Review, not only that, but the magazine gives this exhibition a top show rating for a ceramic's exhibition to visit!!

Above a photo of the advertisement in Ceramic's Review.

I'm also really pleased to say Mike Yates will be coming to talk to the Friends about this exhibition on Thursday 26 July at 7.30pm, and Curator Sophie Cummings has kindly agreed to extend the exhibition until after the talk. So come along to find out more about this beautiful exhibition.