"My skill is only a fraction of the finished pot, for at every stage I am borrowing the forces of nature and adding to them a purpose."
- Andrew Walford
Andrew’s family left England in 1947, moving to Johannesburg and later settling in KZN. He attended the Art School which formed part of the Technical College at the bottom of Berea Road (now King DniZulu South)
Andrew Walford is arguably the leading exponent in South Africa of the Anglo-Oriental ceramic tradition. He received the gold award at the Mungyeong Chasabal Festival in Korea in 2013. Andrew has travelled to England, Sweden, Germany, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea where he exhibited, taught, viewed and practised art.
Andrew is a hands-on, intuitive artist who is singularly involved in every aspect of making the ceramic item; from digging his own clay to forming and firing. He visited legendary potters Bernard Leach in St. Ives, Cornwall, UK and Shoji Hamada in Japan, who profoundly influenced his artistic development. Andrew's studio is in Shongweni, KZN and he often refers to his mark making as Zulu-Zen. He uses the influence of Japanese brush strokes to enrich his pottery.
Extract from A Potter's tale in Africa, The life and work of Andrew Walford by Neil Wright :
Andrew was once asked what he would do if he wasn’t a potter.
“Probably betting on horses,” was his reply. He continued: “After close on fifty years in ceramics, betting on horses might have been easier. There are so many aspects to the craft, for example finding the right clay for the shape, style and temperature.”
Giving us an overview of his craft, he says “It is not unlike being a violinist, golfer or ballet dancer; you must practice over and over until the product has balance or gives you a small sense of freedom. There is an emotional element, when the piece has a little charm, a bit of character, and is pleasing to look at, then you are on the right track.
FOREIGN SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2009
Galerie Theis, Berlin, Germany
2003
Loes and Reiner Deventer,
2000
Suisho Gallery, Cambridge, UK
1999
Ceramic Millennium, Amsterdam
1996
Tokyo Haseman Gallery
1989
Repco Gallery, Amsterdam
1987
Museum für Moderne Keramik, Deidesheim, Germany
1986
Galerie der Kunst Handwerker, Hamburg
1978
Somers Gallery, Heidelberg, Germany
1972
Georgetown, Washington DC
1967
Hamburg Art School
1966
Freiburg, Germany |
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Artist: ANDREW WALFORD
Title: Wall Tile
Size: 43 x 34 cm
Media: Ceramic
Price: On request
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