Autumn 2009 - Crafts Council of Ireland

AUTUMN 2009News and Reviews 20This is a series of articles where the work of a craftperson registered with theCrafts Council of Ireland will be featured along with the Guild that supports themand or retail outlet that carries their work. If you would like to be considered forselection in future issues of Stopress, please email: stopress@ccoi.ieCraftmaker in Contextby Cornelia McCarthy“I have a feeling….that Irish people are startingto look at craft products again in a positive,appreciative way”….Rob D'Eath - PotterWhen you look up Rob D'Eath’s biographyon the Crafts Council of Ireland's websitehe states “I love to throw”. When youvisit his workshop you see from the varietyand quantity of stock that he has, that hedoes indeed throw a lot. And when youbrowse around the Sliding Rock Gallery itis evident that he is passionate about andloves all ceramics, including work by someof his ex-students whom he has watcheddevelop when teaching them in GalwayMayo Institute of Technology.His own throwing started after travels tofar off places in his early twenties, Hecame in contact with Korean ceramics in amuseum in Jakarta and was “blown awayby its rugged beauty”. Further travels inthe Far East showed him a huge array oftalent and making on every street corner.He was, and still is deeply moved by the'needs must' approach to craft - if youneed something for daily life, you simplymake it. Returning home to England hecame in contact with the work of BernardLeach, Michael Cardew and ShojiHamada. This cross-cultural, English andoriental mixing of traditions and styles,cemented his flirtation with clay and a fullblown love affair with making pots began.He abandoned his third level studies inscience and enrolled in Art College inSouthampton and was taught by theinfluential Malcolm Pepper.After gaining his diploma he set up apottery with a fellow student. Togetherthey learned about running a business.Rob saw the highs and lows - from thesatisfaction in throwing for a living andselling work to customers to the kilnmeltdowns and struggles for orders.He became aware of his own ability toremain calm and professional inrunning a business. He also found theself-sufficiency of running his own craftsbusiness attractive. This is a lifestyle andphilosophical stance with which he isvery comfortable.At that time the GMIT was looking fora person to teach Ceramics and Robsecured the part time position. He movedto Galway just as a small premises becameavailable on Quay Street, around thecorner from the, soon to be established,Judy Greene pottery, and he set up PotLuck. Through a bizarre but completelyorganic process, Rob ended up with thelease on a rambling bicycle and pet shopin Quay Street which resulted in hispottery outlet for four years becomingGalway’s city centre must-see destinationfor domestic and international tourists. In1984 the lease was up in Quay Street,and so Rob moved to the Údarás naGaeltachta funded and recently openedCeardlann craft village in Spiddal,and became one of its original residents.Currently the other village residents areMáire Ní Thaidhg (Weaver), Gearóid ÓMurchú (Printer), Ger O'Rourke (Artist),Dave McCarthy (Leather Maker), EricByrne (Jeweller), Julian Checkley (CandleMaker), a music shop run by musicianPaul Vignoles, a craft supplies shop andthe Builín Blasta (tasty loaf) Café.‘Returning home to England [Rob] came in contact with the work of BernardLeach, Michael Cardew and Shoji Hamada. This cross-cultural, Englishand oriental mixing of traditions and styles, cemented his flirtation with clayand a full blown love affair with making pots began’.