Water, wheel and golden glazes
- Sotis loves to be in constant communication with clay
- He glazes his work with 24-carat gold
- Water has been a predominant inspiration for him
Sotis Filippides studied ceramics at Athens College of Ceramics and Harrow College London. In 1981, while still a ceramic student, he decided to participate in an annual ceramic exhibition in Marousi just outside Athens. To his surprise, he was awarded the first prize and this encouraged him to pursue his craft even more seriously. He opened his first workshop in 1986 in Chelsea, London. Water has been a constant inspiration for Sotis, and today he works from his Oxo Tower studio in London overlooking the Thames River. This is where he creates contemporary ceramic wall installations and vessels, working with only one type of clay from the UK. Sotis considers Sir Terence Conran as his mentor. “Meeting and designing for him was one of my most enjoyable and memorable times,” he says.
Interview
- Did you learn your craft from a master?
- I was mentored from an early age by one of the best Greek ceramic artists, Panos Valsamakis. He guided me to understand the quality of the materials and the artistic elements of clay.
- When did you first think about picking up this craft?
- When my father took me to see an amazing exhibition of the great Greek ceramic artist Eleni Vernadaki, whose work was inspired by the black and white theatrical costumes of ancient Greek tragedies.
- Where do you draw inspiration from?
- The core of my inspiration is the sea. I try not to think of Greece when I work, but of course my deep inspirations come from there: the heat and the reflected surface of the water.
- Do you have a specific technique or skill?
- Using a variety of oxides, I have managed to achieve a unique look at high temperatures of up to 1280°C. Having worked with earthy materials for a number of years, I managed to crystallise a group of oxides to create a black surface on my work with distorted 24-carat gold and platinum.
Sotis Filippides is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1986
Where
Sotis Filippides
