A Cornish studio and gallery has announced it will be holding an official preview of its latest works.
On Friday November 12, St Ives institution Leach Pottery will be holding its official preview of Leach 100 works.
The team will be launching its Clay and Community Exhibition, showcasing a range of ceramic pieces created by the wider community during the Leach 100 period, as well as the works crafted by its Leach 100 commissioned artists and Hyosun Kim, Leach 100 Artist in Residence.
Collectively, these will form the largest on-site celebration of Leach 100 since the centenary campaign began in 2020.
Leach 100 has been an extended two year programme of events celebrating 100 years since the foundation of the Leach Pottery by friends and colleagues Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada.
On Friday November 12 guests will be able to experience the gallery-based, Clay and Community Exhibition until March 2022, which will feature works created by school children from across the country as part of the Leach 100 Schools Challenge.
The challenge took place during May 2020, where, as part of its 100-year celebration, some 158 children were invited to submit a drawn design or photographs of maquettes for a new ceramic piece, in response to the theme ‘a pot for sharing’ for the chance to win pottery prizes.
Art and design pupils at Norwich School took home the coveted gold prize of a four-day workshop at the pottery for their innovative and unique bubble pottery plates, inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, referencing the ‘social bubbles’ that we all became so familiar with.
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Libby Buckley, director at Leach Pottery said: "This is a coming together of the Leach 100 works that have been delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It is a culmination of a lot of hard work that celebrates creativity in all its forms and will feature works created by people whose abilities span right from beginner to seasoned potter.
"Although the Leach 100 celebrations haven’t turned out exactly as we initially planned, due to the unexpected pandemic, our work has been successful in nurturing creativity and has given more people access to clay which is fantastic.
"In addition, we are incredibly proud to have pushed artistic development through the commissions and residencies."
"The Leach Pottery was founded in the spirit of friendship, cooperation and exchange.
"It is therefore fitting that we continue our extended centenary celebrations through this community-focused and community-led exhibition that brings our local and international friends together to celebrate such a historically significant site at such a momentous time.
"The community has always been pivotal to everything the pottery does and we are pleased to celebrate it in this way."
The Clay and Community Exhibition is available to view now although there will be a preview on Friday November 12 with local community previews until March 2022.
The Leach 100 commissions work as well as Hyosun Kim’s works will be available to view until the end of December 2021.
To book a slot or to find out more, visit the Leach Pottery website at: The Leach Pottery.
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