David Frith
Born 1943
Training
1958-61 Flintshire Technical College, Art Department (Interm. In Arts &Crafts)
1961-62 Wimbledon School of Art (Industrial Ceramics & Terracotta Modelling)
1962-63 Stoke-on-Trent College of Art (Hand Pottery & Weaving. N.D.D., lecturer Derek Emms, who worked under Bernhard Leach at his St Ives pottery)
Associations
Fellow of The Craft Potters’ Association of Great Britain and Vice Chairman
1984-90 Selected Member of the British Crafts Council Council Member of the Craft Committee of the Welsh Arts Council
1978-80 Member of the Management Committee of Mostyn Art Gallery, Llandudno
1984-87 Associate Consultant-P/E International Operations Ltd Founder Member of the North Wales Potters’ Association Consultant to The Artisan Trust and RUDA of Rajasthan, India Principal
Exhibitions
2001 Guest demonstrator with Margaret to North Carolina Pottery Conference, Asheboro, USA.
2000 (with Margaret) ‘Partners’ – Lois & Reinier Gallery, Deventer, Holland (with Margaret) Shun Gallery, Tokyo and Jonaisaka Gallery, Mashiko Contemporary Ceramics, Craft Potters’ Association, London Soul to Soul – Cider Press Centre, Dartington, Devon Five British and Five Japanese Potters: Richard Batterham, Mick Casson, David Frith, David Leach, John Leach, Jason Wason, Kenji Funaki, Shinsaku Hamada, Tatsuzo Shimaoka, Kazutoshi Yamada.
1999 (with Margaret) The Arc, Chester. ‘New Work’ CPA Group. Beatrice Royal Contemporary Art – Eastleigh, Hampshire
1998 Bohun Gallery – Henley-on-Thames – 25 years’ celebration Avocet Gallery – Aldeburgh, Suffolk. ‘New Work’ Denbigh Library Museum and Arts Centre. ‘Another Show of Hands’ Plymouth Arts Centre – Contemporary British Ceramics
1997 Rufford Craft Centre, Nottinghamshire – Major Retrospective Solo Exh. Bettles Gallery, Ringwood, Hampshire – ‘New Work’ (with Margaret) at home – Major exhibition of New Work
1996 Primavera, Cambridge – ‘High Table’ Flaxman Gallery, Staffordshire University – ‘Three Potters’ 1995 Bohun Gallery, Henley-on-Thames – ‘Spring Collection’
1995 Broughton Gallery, Biggar, Scotland – Joint Exhibition with Margaret Loes & Reinier Galerie, Deventer, Holland – ‘Three British Potters’
1994 Theatre Clwyd, Mold, Wales – ‘Showcase’ Borthwnog, Hall, Dolgellau, Wales. Solo Exhibition The Roundhouse Gallery, Tutbury, Burton-on-Trent – ‘A Baker’s Dozen’ Denbigh Library, Museum & Arts Centre – ‘Fire & Fusion’
1993 Porticus Llandrindod Wells – joint exhibition with Margaret Wrexham Art Centre – Solo Show Rufford Craft Centre, Nottingham – ‘A Taste of Britain’ (Group)
1992 Rufford Craft Centre, Nottingham – ‘British & Dutch Ceramics’ The Ladygate Gallery, Beverley – ‘Spring from Wales’ Galerie Amphora, Oosterbeek, Holland – ‘British Art in Holland’ The Roundhouse Gallery, Tutbury, Burton-on-Trent Denbigh Library, Museum & Arts Centre, Wales – ‘Three’
1991 C.P.A. Touring Exhibition (Group) Gerald Godfrey Gallery, London – The Eastern Tradition in British Studio Pottery’ Krempl Galerie, Baldham, Munich, Germany – Joint with Margaret
1990 Nathan Homestead Cultural Centre, Manurewa, New Zealand – ‘Solus’ Ruthin Craft Centre, C.P.A. Touring Exhibition Denbigh Library, Museum & Arts Centre – ‘Three Potters’
1989 Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales – ‘12 Studio Potters’ Mid-Cornwall Galeries, CPA Group
1988 Craftsman Potters’ Shop, London – Solus
1987 Milestone House Pottery, Yoxford – Solus
1986 Rufford Craft Centre, Nottingham – Solus
1985 Keramik Galerie Bowig, Hannover, Germany – International Group The Ladygate Gallery, Beverly – Solus Krempl Galerie, Baldham, Munich, Germany – Solus
1984 Aberystwhth Arts Centre, Wales – Solus
1983 Keramik Galerie Bowig, Hannover, Germany – Solus Galerie für Englische Keramik, Sandhausen, Germany – Group
1982 Crafts Council Gallery, London – ‘The Maker’s Eye’ – Group Chestnut Gallery, Bourton-on-Water – Joint with Margaret Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool – Joint with Margaret
1981 Collection Ledbury – Joint with Margaret
1980 Bohun Gallery, Henley-on-Thames – Solus Newport Museum & Art Gallery, Gwent – Solus
1979 Crafts Advisory Council – ‘La Poterie Anglaise Contemporaire’ Craftsmen Potters’ Shop, London – ‘Potters from Wales’ – Group Osnabrück Folk Museum, Germany – Group
1977 Crafts Advisory Council – ‘Domestic Pottery’ – Touring
1976 Welsh Crafts Council – ‘Creft Cymru’ – Touring
1971 Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool – Solus
“The richness of the North Wales landscape never fails to inspire me and I have valued living and working here since I started my workshop with Margaret some 35 years ago. My work explores the thrown form – searching for that essence – a quality that survives time and where the traditional and contemporary meet. I use the techniques of the past with the eyes of the present. Pieces are individual, often on a large scale, and include platters, bottles, ginger jars, store jars, pressed and extruded dishes. I like flat surfaces, which enhance innovative decorative techniques. The glazes are rich with wax motifs, heavy over-glazes and trailed pigments.”