William Plumptre

William Plumptre (b. 23 July 1959) is a studio potter based in Witherslack, Cumbria, UK, specialising in stoneware. He works primarily on the wheel, with some slab-built and press-moulded forms, often glazed with subtle wood ash glazes. All of his work is reduction-fired in a sixty-five cubic foot gas-fired kiln that he designed and built, using local materials including wood ash and granite.

Plumptre studied Ceramic Design at Chelsea College of Art before travelling to Japan in early 1985 to continue his training in Mashiko. There he studied under three Japanese potters: Takeo Tsudo, Tamaki Tamotsu, and Tatsuzo Shimaoka, a declared National Living Treasure of Japan. He further explored Japanese and broader Asian pottery traditions through travel and visits to potters in Southern Japan and South Korea.

In 1988 he established his first workshop in Hartsop, Cumbria, and in 1994 moved to his current studio in Witherslack. His work combines the disciplined influences of Japanese pottery with his own contemporary vision, producing functional and decorative pieces that are highly regarded for their refined glazes and forms.

Public Collections

• Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria

• Townley Hall Museum, Burnley, Lancashire

• Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery

• Banque Paribas, London