Simon Rich |
Simon Rich trained with Alan Caiger-Smith at the Aldermaston Pottery for four years. In 1972 he started up a pottery and retail outlet in Narbeth, Pembrokeshire. His work focuses on the techniques of matt lustre Raku, turquoise and crystalline glazes.
Crystalline glazes are produced by overloading a glaze with zinc oxide. Small amounts of metal oxides are then added to colour the glazes. The pots are fired rapidly, then allowed to cool, and held at 1060°C. During this time the zinc begins to grow crystals within the glaze.
His Raku ware is copper coated. Each pot is individually fired, taken out of the kiln while red hot, reduced to a base metal all over, then re-oxidised to form metal distressed colours.
His turquoise glazes are obtained by using barium carbonate mixed with soda, feldspar and nepheline syenite. This produces a vivid colour range from turquoise through to deep blue and purple. Simon uses these colours in conjunction with a bronze mixture to achieve the effects he desires.