Plumptre William

Born: 23.07.59

William Plumptre studied Ceramic Design at Chelsea College of Art before travelling to Japan in early 1985. There he continued his training in Mashiko, a renowned pottery centre, with three Japanese potters, first Takeo Tsudo, followed by Tamaki Tamotsu, and finally the master Tatsuzo Shimaoka, declared a ‘National Living Treasure of Japan’.  

He further explored Japanese and Asian pottery traditions, travelling and visiting potters in Southern Japan and South Korea. In 1988 he established his first workshop in England at Hartsop in Cumbria and later in 1994 he moved to his present address at Witherslack.

William works with stoneware clay, mostly thrown on the wheel, although some of his work is slab-built and press moulded. Much of William’s pottery is glazed with subtle wood ash glazes which he studied in Japan, and all of his work is reduction fired in the sixty-five cubic foot gas-fired kiln, which he designed and built himself. His glazes are largely made of local materials, including wood ash and granite.

Public Collections

Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria

Townley Hall Museum, Burnley, Lancashire

Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery

Banque Paribas, London