John Leach

John Leach (1939–2021, Muchelney, Somerset, UK) was a ceramic artist and potter who continued the St Ives Leach tradition. He established Muchelney Pottery in Somerset in 1965, producing hand-thrown, wood-fired kitchenware that included casseroles, bowls, jugs, and jars, as well as individual signed work such as his ‘Black Mood Pots’. His work drew on a wide range of influences, including his St Ives training, English medieval and early American folk pottery, the traditional leather water vessels of the Middle East, and experiences from a 1984 study trip to Nigeria.

For John, this eclectic mix of influences reflected his belief in an international kindred spirit between potters of the past and present. Alongside his creative work, he ran workshops, gave demonstrations, and conducted international lecture tours, embracing what he saw as a responsibility to share his knowledge and experience with other potters. John described his work as “a rewarding therapy in this over-standardised age,” and sought to communicate the fulfilment he found in making pottery through both his teaching and his art.