Harlequin Gallery
Mike Dodd 29th October to 19th November 2000 The first exhibition of work from Mike's new pottery. Chosen as the top exhibition for November/December by Ceramic Review - the International Magazine of Ceramics.
	Mike turning and finishing a selection of cut sided bottles at his new pottery near Butleigh in preparation for his exhibition at the Harlequin Gallery.
It gives me great pleasure to be hosting the first exhibition of work from Mike Dodd's new pottery (the sixth in his long career), as Mike is without doubt one of the finest potters the United Kingdom has ever produced. You don't only have to take my word for it. Phil Rogers, who is no mean potter himself, has written that Mike "is making some of the most exciting work ever seen in this country". Mike initially took up pottery at Bryanston School, where Donald Potter, a sculptor and potter, who had been trained by Eric Gill, taught him. Potter surrounded his students with the work of Bernard Leach and Michael Cardew and had previously taught Richard Batterham, whose pottery Mike visited. However, upon leaving school, Mike went to Cambridge University where he studied medicine. During his time there he decided that being a doctor was not for him and that he wanted to become a potter. This resulted in him going to the Hammersmith College of Art in London, after finishing his course at Cambridge, but he found it so bad that he left after a year. However, as he says "the influence of Leach, Cardew, Batterham and Hamada were enough" and he was able to start his first pottery in Sussex in 1968. Throughout his career Mike has specialised in making reduction-fired stoneware and has continued to develop the use of local materials. His work can be found in all the leading studio pottery collections in this country, including that of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, as well as in major private collections around the world. The exhibition is the first chance to see and buy new work by Mike for over a year and, as Mike tells me that he aims to cut down on the number of exhibitions that he does in the future, it is simply not to be missed.
A large jar from the first firing at Mike's new pottery to be included in the exhibition. Click Previous to see details of Previous Exhibition.

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