CENTRE FOR MODERN & CONTEMPORARY
STUDIO CERAMICS AND ORIGINAL ARTWORK

Ronnie was born in Glasgow. He graduated from Glasgow School of Art with a B.A. Hons Design (Ceramics) in 1980. Since 2005, as well as making, he has worked as a part-time teacher of ceramics in various schools in East Lothian. Having moved from Portpatrick on Scotland’s west coast to North Berwick on the east in 2005, he is slowly adjusting to the lack of rain, the cold east wind and salt’n’sauce with his chips!

Sharing a studio with Dave Cohen has been a fantastic experience for him. Every week he discovers a new approach, working method or finds himself inspired by Dave’s complete mastery of ceramics. “It is amazing how versatile and expressive a material clay is, that I can still be learning after 30 years of potting”.

Most of his work is hand built; he enjoys a direct relationship with clay. Recently he has been throwing sculptural pieces, although still influenced by the sea and man’s relationship with it. Inspiration is never far away, with the Bass Rock and busy shipping lane from the Forth to the North Sea visible from the studio. He has been exploring this theme for over 20 years and hopes that the work is still fresh, vibrant and distinctive. He hopes that some of the pleasure he derives from making it is reflected in the finished work.
He does not like making or using moulds and uses combinations of hand building and modelling techniques to make most pieces. Some work like the fat sharks and angry whales are thrown and then altered and manipulated. “Moulds would be quicker, but plaster and me best avoid each other!”

When the work is green (unfired) he decorates with coloured slips. To emphasise the modelled marks or textures, glaze is removed exposing the coloured slips. The glazes are mostly alkaline copper based and fired in oxidation to 1220 c. The assorted coloured slips and glazes give the work a rich and varied surface.