Eddie Curtis Biography

Following a one year foundation course at Sunderland Polytechnic Eddie Curtis studied ceramics at Bath Academy of Art from 1973 – 1976. He worked for one year in his home town of Seaham as a repetition thrower with a small semi industrial pottery until 1977 when he took up employment in heavy industry for two years to raise finance for the purchase of Middle Rigg. In 1979 with the support of his wife Margaret he established a studio at Middle Rigg where they both continue to work today.

The first output from the studio was oven to tableware but over the years the emphasis changed to more individually unique works. He developed an almost obsessive passion to master the very demanding but equally rewarding production of copper red porcelain culminating in 2010 with a hugely successful exhibition with Margaret entitled 'Curtis Red' hosted at Rufford Park, in the UK and then later that year at Galerie Metzger, near Aschaffenburg, Germany. Around this same time he paid a chance visit to a stretch of coastline near to his home town. This visit led to a massive change of direction and a consequently inspired body of work 'The Blast Series'. He still works on this series today and has shown this work extensively through the UK and mainland Europe. At the end of 2014 he travelled to India where he exhibited his predominantly sculptural works alongside 23 other international acclaimed ceramic artists in the Habitat Exhibition Centre of New Delhi. In the summer of 2015 his work was shown in New York for the first time at Cavin Morris Gallery and in December 2015 he showed a collection of sake related pieces along with his wife Margaret and other international ceramic artists in Tokyo. In the Spring of 2017 he was one of 30 international artists working in various media, showing his work in the German state funded exhibition "Meister der Moderne" (Modern Masters), Munich.

Margaret Curtis Biography/Statement

I first decided to experiment with using coarse black clay, following a visit to the home and studio of Miwa Kyusetsu X1, in Hagi, Japan in 1999. Miwa was a national living treasure so it was an extraordinary privilege to sit in his tea room and be shown three of his Chawan. I was struck by the beautiful snow-like whiteness of the shino glaze combined with dark, blackened bare patches on the body of the clay and enjoyed the harmony he had created between these contrasting materials.

When I returned home I began working with black clay, adapting and adjusting the body to suit my way of working. I have used that clay ever since and my current body of work involves combining this coarse gritty, dark material with the beautiful qualities of thick unctuous porcelain slip.