Scott Brough - Feb 25'

Artist Interview - Scott Brough 
 

Star Jump with Riccardo Scott & Thomas Baker - Feb 25' 

1, A quiet, calm beauty comes through in your work, and you mentioned you have referenced Japanese and Korean classical potteries in the past. Where did this come from? Can you think of the catalyst for your style or inspirations?

We are fortunate to have a lot of handmade Japanese ceramics at home to use and learn from. I spent three months working and living with Japanese potter Masakazu Kusakabe in 2017 which was a very formative experience. From the first time I saw a book of Old Karatsu pottery I was fascinated by their use of simple earthy materials. From there I was drawn to Classical Korean ceramics, especially from the Joseon period which tended to have very natural imperfections. I find the links between Chinese, Korean and Japanese ceramics very interesting, how they borrowed from and developed upon each other both technologically and aesthetically. 

Although I have occasionally drawn directly from historical pieces, such as the flattened bottles in this exhibition (based on Joseon period black-glazed flasks), more generally it is the timeless feeling of ancient ceramics which captivates me, and in this sense I have also been inspired by pottery from England and Europe. This is why I find it is important for me to create pieces which have a function in everyday life, as this has been the role of pottery throughout the ages, to fulfil the needs of a society and to also enrich it.

2, You have a great community and strong following among other potters and collectors, is there any philosophical thinking that runs through your practice or life that may inform your work?

I feel really lucky to be working in a time where there is such an active and supportive community of clay workers and people that are interested in ceramic culture. When I started I was fortunate to have some older potters that helped and mentored me but it has taken until the last few years to feel really connected to other younger people working with clay. Now I feel like there is a real sense of family among our generation and I look forward to many years of sharing and working together.

3, What does ‘craft' mean to you ? 

I think of the David Berman lyric 'All my favourite singers couldn't sing.' I feel like the biggest challenge in any discipline is to create with your own voice. I am not interested in technical perfection but I certainly have my own standard that I am striving for. All of my favourite potters (and artists of all sorts) are those that have a distinctive voice and use it to create their own worlds.