Andrew hill was born in 1964 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. After completing his diploma in Ceramics at Derbyshire College of Higher Education in 1985, he began working as a potter in 1986 and has been a full time potter ever since, and over the years has exhibited in many of the top galleries. Andrew now works in Carleton-In-Craven, North Yorkshire. The influence of eastern ceramics led him to specialise in thrown work as well as the techniques of Raku firing. He works with a variety of materials during the reduction including bracken, ferns and sawdust. The result is a dramatic contrast of vibrant, spontaneous colour against a blackened carbonised body. Andrew became a member of the Craft Potters Association, (CPA) in 1993 and received fellowship in 1999. His work is widely collected and exhibited throughout the UK and Europe. The influence of eastern ceramics led Andrew Hill to specialise in thrown work as well as the techniques of Raku firing. He works with a variety of materials during the reduction including bracken, ferns and sawdust. The result is a dramatic contrast of vibrant, spontaneous colour against a blackened, carbonised body. His work is widely collected and exhibited throughout the UK and Europe. My current work is predominantly concerned with shapes and mark making working from within a Chinese tradition and the continuing evolution or subtle nuance of conventional forms. In essence, it is an examination of the relationship between east and west or traditional versus contemporary. I have taken successful as well as new thrown shapes and developed additional techniques of making such as slab building, different coloured clays and slips. All this sits within the context of resist slip Raku. I have explored
the resemblance of the incidental marks to Chinese calligraphy, and also emphasized and investigated the relationship between those intentional and other incidental marks.
I have focused on the shape of the calligraphic marks as opposed to their meaning. The marks used on each form are directly influenced by the shape. Conversely the shapes evolution is often influenced by the
decoration. The form often dictates the clay to be used, and likewise the finished colour and qualities are determined by the slips, oxides and the glazes. Each part is a strong element within the total piece and emphasise each others qualities.
