Paul Taylor

My work has largely centred on the vessel, using ultra thin slabs of textured terracotta, assembled and fired

multiple times aiming to transform very simple materials into pottery that has its own distinctive

characteristic. I want to create vessels with interesting configurations, surfaces and textures. I am

fascinated by the alchemy that occurs when combining clay, smoke and fire culminating in the often

magical changes that occur during the firing process. My work is fired multiple times, the final firing

is a low temperature saggar firing with combustable materials producing a range of surprising and

often unpredictable outcomes. More recently I have developed my work to incorporate slip cast forms

in terracotta, these are then altered with the application of extruded and sprig moulded additions.

I endeavour to explore the full range of possibilities of one simple form, constantly changing it in an

effort to magnify its creative potential as much as possible. My aim is to create pottery with an almost

classical and timeless quality.