Robin Welch

(http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=167 4-22-08) Robin Welch, born 1936, studied at Penzance School of Art and the Central School of Art, London. He worked part-time at the Leach Pottery between 1953 and 1959 before opening his own pottery in London's west end, which ran from 1960 to 1962. After a couple of years of world travel, he returned to England and in 1965 set up Stadbroke Pottery in Eye, Suffolk.Robin has designed for many major companies, including Wedgwood, Midwinter and Denby, and has done much teaching.(http://www.studio-pots.com/robinwelch.htm 4-22-08) info@studio-pots.com Harlequin Gallery Robin Welch Robin Welch is unique as far as British potters are concerned. Initially he made a name for himself with a series of domestic ware based on cylindrical forms, has created designs for the pottery industry and paints as well as makes one-off pots. All that and starting out at the Leach Pottery as well!In fact Robin's first real introduction to pottery was while he was studying for a Diploma in Art & Design at the Penzance School of Art. Although originally more interested in sculpture, he began to take up pottery under the tuition of Michael Leach, Bernard's youngest son, and worked at the Leach Pottery at weekends and during holidays.Robin then spent a year at the Central School of Art in London before he set up his first pottery, followed by a second in Australia where he stayed for three years. Upon his return to his country in 1965 he settled in Suffolk where he pots to this day. Robin's importance is illustrated by examples of his work being found in many public collections in this country, including the V&A Museum London, as well as in Australia and the Netherlands. Besides this he was one of the nine potters featured in Tony Birks influential book "The Art of the Modern Potter" published in 1967 where he appeared along with the likes of Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Gordon Baldwin and Ruth Duckworth. Robin made a large selection of teabowls at the end of 2004 especially for the Harlequin Gallery Teabowl exhibition that took place during March 2005.