Mixing functionality and art
- Adam makes tableware and artistic pottery
- He started ceramics at the age of 13
- He works intuitively with clay
It was early on that Adam Ross discovered ceramics. From the age of 13, his passion for clay was growing, and it didn't waver. He pursued his interest, graduating with a degree in Ceramic Design in 2009, and then opened his own workshop in 2012. Adam’s work is about creating and sharing: whether teaching evening classes or one-off workshops or creating his own pieces, he is always focussed on the relationship of the end piece with its audience. His work is divided into two sections: artistic pottery and tableware. Sculptural work allows for greater amounts of freedom, but the process of creation is similar for both. Tableware must be well thought-through as well as aesthetic, and creating functional pieces requires an understanding of what useful is. Nevertheless, Adam feels that he works best through spontaneous making, deciding in the moment.
Interview
- When did you start working?
- I have been making from an early age. I started studying ceramics from the age of 13, eventually studying ceramics at the Glasgow School of Art. I have taught evening classes and workshops, as well as holding several technician rolls, alongside making my own work.
- What techniques do you use?
- I use many pottery techniques depending on what I create. Many are traditional techniques that I have refined and adapted to suit me. I particularly like working at the potter’s wheel. I find the act of throwing very meditative and good for clearing the head.
- How do you develop your creations?
- Some prior thinking and research is always good, but sometimes I find overthinking becomes restrictive. I tend to work best through doing: making decisions in the moment and responding to the clay. It doesn’t always work, but it’s nice when it does.
- What does well made mean to you?
- For functional pottery, it is how useable the object is. For example, a teapot. Does it pour well? How much liquid does it hold? Can you still lift it once it is filled? All of these things must be taken into consideration first before beginning to add your own style.
Adam Ross is a master artisan: he began his career in 2005 and he started teaching in 2011
Where
Adam Ross
