Andrew Niblett

Andrew has had an affinity with clay from the moment his parents bought him his first potter’s wheel at the age of five. Enthusiastic schoolteachers encouraged this early enjoyment of art, in particular clay. With a desire to know more he enrolled at the local college where he completed a Btec National Diploma in 3D Design Ceramics, after which he went on to graduate from Bath College of Higher Education with a degree in ceramics in 1991.

The inspiration for Andrew’s sculptures comes from munitions of warfare and the wartime coastal defences on the Normandy beaches.

All the pieces are thrown in one piece and then turned to refine the form; while the clay is still soft metal bars are added. The pieces are biscuit fired in an electric kiln, and selected areas are masked off before being coated with a copper matt glaze. These are then put through their final most exiting stage, which is Raku. This involves the pieces being heated to 1000°C at which point they are removed from the kiln glowing orange. These are placed immediately onto a bed of sawdust, which bursts into flames on contact giving unpredictable and hopefully amazing results.

www.andrewniblettrakupotter.co.uk