Although Derek’s interest and initial experience in ceramics began during his foundation studies at Farnham Art School in the late 60s, he was a UK based freelance illustrator for more than forty years with clients from Tokyo to Toronto, as well as illustrating a series of pop-up books with worldwide sales in excess of 13 million copies. Derek now devotes almost his entire creative output to hand building ceramics from a converted Victorian coach house on the edge of the South Downs National Park.. Having dedicating his work to pottery for over a decade, his passion for the craft being reignited when he attended a course at Farnham Pottery.
His ceramics often have a narrative element that’s imagined, half remembered, carefully researched or commissioned.
With a nod to the traditions of ancient cultures, inspired by folklore, tribal art, and storytelling, his pottery blends his background in illustration with imagination and a touch of mystery.
“I tend to work on one piece at a time so my output is slow and low…..I like the idea of my work having an underlying logic and an implied provenance. Artefacts or relics retrieved from a place that may…. or may not have existed”
Each piece is handcrafted using a variety of clays, including wild clay sourced directly from his garden. He avoids the use of glazes, preferring instead to work with oxides. This approach —combined with additional materials within the clay, multiple firings, and extensive wax polishing — contribute to a kind of alchemy that lends the finished surfaces a distressed, ancient or patinated surface.
Derek’s pottery often invites a sense of playfulness, sparking a dialogue between viewer and artwork. The tribal and folk influences honour the rich histories and traditions of ceramics from diverse cultures. Through his dedication to storytelling, he transforms earthenware into a medium that celebrates heritage, imagination, and the universal human experience, making his pieces not just objects but also conduits of memory and experience.
Derek Matthews is a Selected Member of the Craft Potters Association. He shows in reputable galleries around the UK. His ceramics have found loving homes in private collections across the UK, Europe and America.
