Charlotte Jones English, b. 1958
I walk every morning for at least an hour in my rural landscape with my small dog, I love the rhythm of the walks, noting the changes each day brings. It might be a colour, pattern, sound or texture that sparks an idea. Feeling at ease with my surroundings and looking carefully at details informs my work, so design decisions become intuitive.
My pots are made from white stoneware clay coloured by small amounts of clay I find, rust, grog from a stream and oxides. I recall days digging and collecting, it might have been windy, cold even sunny! This gives personal identity to my work, it's about my environment and my relationship with it. This physical process is important along with sketching and drawing. What I see, how I see and how I feel.
The process of making my pots has evolved over the last 16 years. Each stage I need to enjoy and use tools and equipment familiar to me. I throw the bases, coil and slab the layers of colour pinch the rims then scrape and burnish before once firing.
The pots are made in families to echo my own, thrown bases are made in 3s or 5s; these are strong because of the circular motion of the wheel and the fastest way to make individual forms. Also it gives me a perfect circle to coil on to. The coils are of different sizes and might be made of layers, I love coiling and hand building, it's slow and thoughtful after the speed of throwing. At each stage the pot is wrapped in plastic so it becomes the same moisture content throughout. The rims are pinched to resemble the riven edged slates on the chapel roof and the shape of the asymmetrical vessel.
Pushing the leather hard clay molecules together gives the pot a strong and waterproof finish and as I want to produce a tactile pebble surface, using a pebble to burnish the leather-hard pot seemed sensible! The pots echo beach stones tumbled in the surf, and time weathered rocks.
After years of travelling, Charlotte came with her family on a boat to live in Cornwall in 1989. With her partner Ron Jones, a furniture maker and their three sons, they converted derelict Trenoweth Chapel into their home and workshops.
In 1993 Charlotte completed the Foundation course, Falmouth College of Art and in 2001 a BA (Hons) Studio Ceramics, Falmouth College of Arts.
Since then Charlotte's work has been exhibited throughout the UK and in Europe, her pots are in collections worldwide and her pots appear in local and national press – having recently featured in The Guardian magazine.
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WHERE ROCKS BECOME SEA | Autumn–Winter Show
4 Nov 2023 - 6 Jan 2024Gallery show of contemporary art for sale, featuring new paintings by artists Sara Dudman, Masako Tobita, and ceramics by Peter Hayes, Charlotte Jones, Mitch Pilkington, Antonia Salmon, Paul Wearing, and prints by Melvyn Evans and Trevor Price, and sculptures by Tommy Rowe and Michael Thacker. With supporting works by leading 20th Century modern artists: Terry Frost, Barbara Hepworth, Victor Pasmore and Joe Tilson. Artworks also available for sale by St Ives and British Artists: Wilhelmina BARNS-GRAHAM, Peter BLAKE, Sandra BLOW, Patrick CAULFIELD, Lynn CHADWICK, Maurice COCKRILL, Terry FROST, Barbara HEPWORTH, Patrick HERON, David HOCKNEY, Bryan INGHAM, Albert IRVIN, Margaret LOVELL, Henry MOORE, Ben NICHOLSON, Victor PASMORE, Bryan PEARCE, Tommy ROWE, William SCOTT, Joe TILSON.Read more -
CHRISTMAS SHOW online
22 Dec 2022 - 7 Jan 2023If summertime in St Ives now seems a distant memory – with the recent cold snap – you can now enjoy reliving those happy memories of summer by the sea...Read more -
PENWITH RHYTHMS: ANCIENT AND SACRED LANDSCAPE
Cornwall’s Prehistoric landscape is the focus of this exhibition of guest artists’ works 23 Oct - 27 Nov 2021The dramatic landscape of west Cornwall has captured the imagination of writers and artists for three centuries, and now this ancient and sacred landscape is explored and celebrated anew in...Read more -
RELOCATION
11 Sep - 24 Oct 2020The opening collection at our new premises at 22 Fore Street is a changing showcase of artworks by some of the many established and emerging British Artists whom we represent,...Read more -
WINTER SHOW 2019
9 Nov 2019 - 4 Jan 2020Porthminster Gallery welcomes winter with a mixed exhibition highlighting paintings by gallery artist Masako Tobita , ceramics by Charlotte Jones and Barry Stedman , and exclusive new collections of...Read more -
ANDREW BIRD 'FAVOURED PATHS'
SOLO SHOW 24 Mar - 21 Apr 2018The eagerly-awaited solo show of new abstract Cornish landscape-based paintings and assemblages by permanent gallery artist Andrew Bird. This Derbyshire based artist creates many-layered compositions in repsonse to his...Read more -
PRIZED
25 Nov 2017 - 6 Jan 2018The award-winning Porthminster Gallery in St Ives celebrates the festive season with a sparkling showcase of highly-prized and desirable new ceramic and jewellery creations by specially selected guest and gallery...Read more -
CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURAL CERAMICS SHOW
29 Jul - 3 Sep 2017This beautifully crafted show of 'museum-quality' artworks celebrates the excellence and innovative skills and techniques of contemporary British ceramicists and sculptors working to create sculptural ‘fine art’ forms, as opposed...Read more -
Winter Showcase
11 Feb - 18 Mar 2017Winter is still here in St Ives and as thoughts turn again to cosy nights-in, our lovingly crafted wonderful winter showcase of beautiful luxury handmade works of art will help...Read more