Sotis Filippides Greek, b. 1963
Sotis Filippides was born in Greece and completed a degree at Athens School of Ceramics before moving to the UK to learn English.
Sotis's career began while he was at ceramic college here and was brave enough to approach Liberty's, London who gave him his first commission, since then his career has gone from strength-to-strength.
For the last 7 years Sotis has worked from his studio in Fulham, London. Naturally impatient by nature, Sotis likes to work quickly in clay on the wheel, throwing, firing and colouring every individual piece with his own unique style and process, sometimes plating the pieces in 24-carat liquid gold from Italy. Using clay from the home of pottery, Stoke-on-Trent, he is able to produce works with a very fine yet textured finish which are surprisingly light in weight and yet which appear heavy and made from another material such as wood or stone.
Working with simple shapes, Sotis believes people should be able to recognise and identify with each piece. He prefers matt glazes and natural oxides, such as copper and iron, and colours which reflect his inspirations: tree bark; black volcanic rock; the colour of the sky in his native Greece, and the whiteness of the buildings.
There is a free, meditative and rich quality to Sotis's work which perhaps stems from his avid refusal to accept commissions. 'I must be happy with my work in itself,' he says, 'it has to be something I want to do or I don't think it will come out right.'
Sotis works with many leading interiors designers such as David Linley, the Conran Shop and Harrods and is a selected member of the Craft Potters Association. He has been invited to do a demonstration for Tate Modern and his ultimate ambition is to have a solo exhibition there. It may just happen…
Sotis Filippides has been shown and represented exclusively in St Ives and Cornwall by the Porthminster Gallery since 2021.
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WINTER GLOW
A glittering showcase of winter delights 3 Dec 2021 - 5 Feb 2022Showcasing precious handpicked offerings by guest and gallery artists, including: Ann Armitage's rich still life paintings; Michael Thacker's hand-carved stone sculptures embellished with 24k gold; Sotis Filippides' ceramic bowls lined...Read more -
CONTAINED
New contemporary ceramics by leading UK and International ceramicists 12 Mar - 9 Apr 2021The Porthminster Gallery in St Ives has a strong reputation for showing quality ceramics by emerging and collected names and is delighted to launch its 2021 season of shows with ‘Contained’, a curated selection of new ceramic 'vessel' forms for Spring by artists showing for the first time with the gallery in St Ives:Read more
Gabriele Koch Ruth King Sotis Filippides Stephen Murfitt Mitch Pilkington