Mary Rich (1940- 2022) was a British potter celebrated for her porcelain vessels featuring geometric patterns and lustrous gold detailing. Her work is known for its refined elegance and technical precision.
Born in 1940 in Cornwall, Mary Rich pursued her artistic education at Bournemouth College of Art, where she studied painting and ceramics under the guidance of David Ballantyne. Her studies were further enriched by a year spent working with David Leach at Bovey Tracey in Devon in 1961.
In 1962, Mary established her first studio in Falmouth, Cornwall, marking the beginning of her professional career as a potter. She later worked alongside Harry and May Davis at the Crowan Pottery in Cornwall, gaining invaluable experience in stoneware and porcelain.
By 1970, she had set up her own pottery at Penwerris, near Truro, Cornwall, where she continued to develop her distinctive style. In the 1980s, with advancements in kiln technology, she transitioned to producing exclusively porcelain pieces. Her work is characterized by the application of underglaze stains and coloured slips, and hand-painted geometric designs in gold lustre over a clear matt stoneware glaze.
Mary Rich’s ceramics are know for their eclectic mix of form and decoration. Each piece is hand-thrown in porcelain, with multiple layers of colour applied to the clay to achieve the desired base for her intricate designs. The final decorations are added after the glaze firing, using fine brushes to apply liquid gold and other lustres.
Mary Rich was a Fellow of The Craft Potters Association, a member of The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, and a founding member of the Cornwall Crafts Association. Her contributions to the field of ceramics have left an indelible mark, influencing generations of potters and collectors alike.
