For more than a century, the Leach Pottery has been a site of training and learning — weaving people, pots, ideas, and cultures together.
Muchelney Pottery kitchenware
Its early spirit was experimental: a small studio exploring clay, firings, and forms. Over the decades, the pottery’s wares and focus shifted, evolving into a communal studio of craftspeople.
A new exhibition, opening on 20th July, tells the story of a small number of the Leach Pottery’s students; from 1923 when they began to arrive, to key points such as 1938 with the start of the Leach Apprentices, and their more formal training, that was reinvigorated in 2014. The Leach has also trained countless student-apprentices, and delivers workshops supporting many community learners.
The intriguing collection of pots from the Leach Studio and individual potters — some made at the Leach Pottery, some in the potter’s own studios — gives a sense of how potters respond to their time there; some adopting, developing or even rejecting the aesthetics and ideas. Students Over a Century opens on 20th July and runs until 31st October in the Cube Gallery.
The 1990s Muchelney team. Left to right are Nick Rees, John Leach, and Mark Melbourne
Muchelney Pottery: 60 Years Strong is open in the Shop Gallery and runs until 20th July (it will be online from 18th August until 14th September). It features Muchelney Kitchenware alongside selected individual pots by John Leach, Mark Melbourne, and Nick Rees.
Muchelney Pottery was established in the heart of the Somerset Levels, in 1965, by John and Lizzie Leach. John, the eldest grandson of Bernard Leach, designed the iconic Kitchenware range of ‘toasted’ wood-fired stoneware for use: from oven-to-table cooking, to serving and drinkware.
The Leach Pottery: One & All celebrates creativity across today’s Leach Pottery and runs from 12th July until 1st November. The exhibition features individual potters from the Studio alongside colleagues across the Leach Pottery, including some freelance tutors. The eclectic selection of pots tell of the pottery’s creative diversity and the potters’ love of clay.
Every week in August, the Leach will be touring West Cornwall towns with workshops making the constituent parts of a tea set: tea bowls, sugar bowls, jugs, and milk pourers. Sessions will take place at: The Exchange, Penzance (5th August); Hayle Recreation Ground (12th August); Camborne Library (19th August); and the Butter Market, Redruth (26th August). For details of these sessions, and other Leach Pottery activities, visit leachpottery.com
Leach Pottery | Higher Stennack, St Ives TR26 2HE | leachpottery.com
