Celebrity vicar, broadcaster and musician Richard Coles takes us on a very personal tour of Phil Rogers’ 2020 exhibition at Goldmark Gallery. Richard has been a keen collector of Phil’s work for some years now. We accompany him as he delights in favourite pieces from the show.
Phil Rogers
Trimmings | Phil Rogers | Tribute 2024
Join us at the gallery as Mike Goldmark reminisces about his relationship with Phil Rogers and his continuing influence.
Phil Rogers was, without doubt, one of the giants of British ceramics. When he died in December 2020 he bequeathed a wealth of memories, work in the collections of over 50 museums around the globe and the legacy of having mentored some of the outstanding new potters in the world – perhaps most notably the great young Danish Potter Anne Mette Hjørtshoj.
Exhibition | Phil Rogers | Unseen Works
Phil Rogers was, without doubt, one of the giants of British ceramics. When he died in December 2020 he bequeathed a wealth of memories, work in the collections of over 50 museums around the globe and the legacy of having mentored some of the outstanding new potters in the world – perhaps most notably the great young Danish Potter Anne Mette Hjørtshoj.
He also left behind, in his studio, a treasure trove of his creations which have never been seen in public. We’re delighted to present a walkthrough of the exhibition of this ‘new’ work that opened in July 2024 and consisted of 200 previously unseen Rogers’ pots alongside works that gallery founder Mike Goldmark and the gallery have themselves collected since Phil Rogers became the first potter to show at Goldmark over 25 years ago.
Ashes to Ashes: How the lowliest of materials became the height of taste
For the ancient Chinese, the discovery that wood ash could be made into glazes brought them the exquisite colours of imperial bronze and majesterial jade in a plastic medium. For Bernard Leach and his disciples (chief among them Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie) these pots were a revelation. With their own trials in ash they looked to a … Read more
Phil Rogers & Richard Coles in Conversation
Phil Rogers’ fifth Goldmark exhibition opened at the height of Covid lockdown. With no possibility of inviting people to the show, we instead brought the show to them with an online tour and talk with longtime friend and collector, the Reverend Richard Coles. Just weeks ahead of the republication of Phil’s renowned Ash Glazes book, … Read more
In Conversation | Phil Rogers with Rev’d Richard Coles
Rev’d Richard Coles in conversation with potter Phil Rogers, over Zoom, back in May 2020. The Rev’d Richard Coles has been a collector of studio pottery for many years, particularly of Phil Rogers’ work. They discuss Phil’s life in pottery and the sources of his inspiration, including Korean and Japanese pots, the work of Shoji … Read more
Fire, Wood and Clay: What’s in an Aesthetic?
There can be no denying it: there’s something about wood-firing that produces special pots. But what is it about the wood-fired aesthetic (if there even is one) that captivates? Where does our appreciation for it begin? And, perhaps most important of all: is it still relevant today? Is the wood-fired aesthetic right for our age? … Read more
The Remarkable Collection of Bill Ismay
Last Autumn, the York Museum opened the Yorkshire Tea Ceremony exhibition, showcasing the collection of the late Bill Ismay. An avid studio pottery enthusiast, Ismay built a staggering collection of over three thousand pieces over the course of three decades, all carefully curated in his small terraced house. Due to limited access protocols, I was … Read more
Trimmings | Phil Rogers | A Tribute
Phil Rogers, who died late last year after a short illness, was one of Britain’s leading potters and advocates for his craft. His work is internationally respected and examples are held in the collections of more than 50 museums worldwide, including the V&A, the British Museum, the National Museum of Wales, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, and the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Mino, Japan.
Phil Rogers | Earthly Matters | Article
It was Mike Goldmark who introduced me to the work of Phil Rogers, at an exhibition at the gallery about fifteen years ago. As soon as I laid eyes on the pots I loved them, and bought a big one, nuka glazed, with fingermark decoration – very Phil Rogers mid-2000s – which I adore. It … Read more
Masterclass | Throwing with Phil Rogers
In the studio with Welsh potter Phil Rogers. He talks us through kneading clay and adding sand. Phil goes on to demonstrate how he throws a yunomi, a jug body and a bowl. He reveals the unorthodox way he throws tall vessels and how he begins to turn the foot ring at the end of throwing.
My Wood-Fired Kiln
‘I knew that one day I would have a wood-fired kiln’. Phil Rogers discusses the joy and the agony of firing studio pots with a wood-fired kiln.
Documentary | Ken Matsuzaki | Elemental
Ken Matsuzaki is a Japanese potter working from Mashiko who enjoys an international reputation. He was apprenticed to the late Tatsuzo Shimaoka (National Living Treasure) who in turn had been apprenticed to Shoji Hamada. Matsuzki’s work can be seen in some of the world’s most prestigious private collections.
This 45 minute film shows him throwing in his workshop and features unique footage of him firing his Anagama kiln, with the help of British potter Phil Rogers who commentates on the process. The film ends with Matsuzaki’s 2007 major exhibition of pots at the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham, Rutland.
Trimmings | A Brief History: ‘Tomobako’ Japanese Boxes
In Japan ceramic pots are stored in signed wooden boxes, known as ‘Tomobako’, both for their protection and to display the provenance of the maker.
Presented by British potter Phil Rogers and writer/art critic David Whiting, this video contains archive footage of Japanese potter Ken Matsuzaki signing boxes at his pottery in Japan as well as a demonstration of him tying ribbons around finished boxes during his Goldmark exhibition.
Exhibition | Phil Rogers | Earthly Matters
Phil Rogers, one of the outstanding British potters of his generation, exhibited at Goldmark Gallery from 16 May 2020. This was the 5th major exhibition of his work at Goldmark and each show has built on the success of the one before. Goldmark was closed because of the Coronavirus however the exhibition was available virtually to the public with an online tour and new films featuring both an interview with Rogers and footage of him at work. The exhibition saw the publication of a new catalogue written by the Rev. Richard Coles, Vicar of Finedon, former member of 1980s pop group The Communards and presenter of Radio 4 programme Saturday Live. The film shows the culmination of an extraordinary career in ceramics by a potter who forged his own path pushing the boundaries of the traditions he was rooted in.
Documentary | Phil Rogers | Drawing in the Air
Filmed on location in Wales, this documentary follows Phil Rogers as he prepares for his 2014 ceramics exhibition at Goldmark Gallery – his first major show in 6 years.
The film shows Rogers at work in and around his studio in Rhayader, Mid-Wales. It shows him throwing cups, bowls and jugs, glazing and decorating and opening his oil and wood-fired kilns.
Rogers discusses his life as a studio potter and the challenges involved. The film also shows a range of his current work.
In Conversation | An Interview with British Potter Phil Rogers
Published in full, our interview with top British potter Phil Rogers to accompany a highly successful fourth ceramics exhibition at Goldmark.
Featured Ceramics | Set of 80 Guinomi by Potter Phil Rogers
Three different kilns; three very different firings; every 80 guinomi set potter Phil Rogers puts together is truly a labour of pottery love.
Events | Phil Rogers Ceramics Exhibition | 25/3/17
On Saturday 25th March Goldmark will be hosting its fourth exhibition of ceramics by the internationally renowned studio potter Phil Rogers.
Making | Phil Rogers Firing his Wood Kiln
First built in 2008, Rogers’ wood kiln now takes its place in his regular rotation of firings throughout the year, its occasional volatility and disobedient nature easily outweighed by the quality of work it produces.
Profile | Phil Rogers: ‘Drawing in the Air’
Having taught himself to throw in the early 1970s, using Bernard Leach’s A Potter’s Book as his only guide, Phil Rogers has over the years established himself as one of the world’s leading studio potters.