UP LEVEL

Alex Allpress Background of the sometimes bleak romantic Fenlands......

Alex Allpress has been working on a farm in the Fenlands in Cambridgeshire. He is inspired by the deep norished colours of the turned fields and the endless enormous sunsets. The Fens are unique with a history and character all of their own.Once an inhospitable swampy wilderness, the Fens has been tamed to leave us today with a network of intricate waterways, which are renown as some of Britain's most atmospheric and tranquil. His original ceramic art has a feel all of it's own from this unique studio setting.

Photos: Clockwise from top left, Alex throwing at his wheel, making a 12 inch bowl;

portrait of Alex Allpress, November 2005, The Fens;

kiln stilts;

Alex packing for the Dadbrook Exhibition next week end, infront are the special Aisini Christmas gifts this season, the small candle bowls, exclusive limited edition;

looking down on a selection of individual pieces from the new collection, Nov 2005.

The clay I use is a mixture of a white stoneware clay, and camberwell buff, which is a grogged clay, which will give the clay extra strength.
My techniques in glazing are very simple. The whole idea is to keep my work looking organic, so while the pots are in the kiln they have a kind of life of their own. So until I open the kiln door I won't entirely be sure how they're going to look.