Leach Pottery facts for kids
The Leach Pottery is a famous pottery studio and museum located in St Ives, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was started in 1920 by two very important potters, Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada.
Contents
What is the Leach Pottery?
The Leach Pottery began in old farm buildings from the 1800s. In the 1920s, they added a two-story house. Later, in 1927, Bernard Leach added another separate house on the property.
The First Japanese Kiln in the West
In 1922, a skilled potter named Tsuronosuke Matsubayashi came all the way from Japan. He helped build a special type of oven for firing pottery called a climbing kiln. This kiln was a traditional Japanese Noborigama with three chambers. It was the very first Japanese climbing kiln ever built in the Western world! This amazing kiln was used at the pottery until the 1970s.
Who Worked at the Pottery?
Many talented potters worked at the Leach Pottery over the years. Bernard Leach's son, David Leach, took over as manager in 1937. He changed the pottery's focus from earthenware to stronger stoneware. He also trained many local apprentices.
Some famous students and apprentices included:
- Michael Cardew (an early student)
- William Marshall (an apprentice)
- Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie (an apprentice from 1924)
- Warren MacKenzie (from the US)
- Charmian Johnson (from Canada)
- Len Castle (from New Zealand)
What is Standard Ware?
The pottery became well-known for its "Standard Ware," which was a range of everyday pottery items. These items were first made in 1946. You can even find examples of them in the V&A museum collection today!
The Leach Pottery sold these items through mail order catalogues. They continued to make Standard Ware until 1979. They used three main types of glazes for these pots:
- Celadon (often a pale green or blue-green)
- Tenmoku (a dark, often brownish-black glaze)
- Oatmeal (a textured, natural-looking glaze)
They also added simple designs in brown and blue paint.
The Pottery Today
After Bernard Leach passed away in 1979, his wife, Janet Leach, took over. She stopped making Standard Ware to focus on her own unique pottery. After her death in 1997, the pottery was bought by Alan Gillam. Later, the local government, Penwith District Council, bought the property. This was part of a big project to restore the Leach Pottery.
Restoration and Reopening
The pottery buildings were carefully renovated and restored between 2005 and 2008. The restoration cost about £1.7 million. This project made sure the original buildings were preserved. They also added new spaces like an exhibition area and a shop.
The Leach Pottery reopened to the public in March 2008. Today, it is a working studio pottery, a museum, and a gallery. It is managed by a charity called the Bernard Leach (St Ives) Trust Limited.
Exhibitions and Current Team
The Leach Pottery has two main exhibition areas:
- The Entrance Gallery: This gallery shows work by Bernard Leach, Janet Leach, David Leach, Shoji Hamada, William Marshall, Michael Cardew, and Kenneth Quick.
- The Cube Gallery: This gallery features changing exhibitions, so there's always something new to see.
The current director of the Leach Pottery is Libby Buckley, and the lead potter is Roelof Uys.
Images for kids
-
Interior of the Leach Pottery
See also
In Spanish: Leach Pottery para niños
