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Tony Laverick was born in Sunderland in 1961. He studied Ceramics at Preston Polytechnic where he was awarded a Distinction from the Society of Designer Craftsmen. He then worked in the pottery industry in Stoke on Trent, including 2 years as a designer for Coalport China (part of the Wedgwood group).
He left in 1988 and set up his own studio in Leek, Staffordshire where he still works.
His pots are based on traditional forms. They have no specific meaning, but draw on many sources and cultures.
Technique is a high priority and the skill has to be evident in each piece. From the rim, neck, shoulder, belly to the foot of the pot, there should be harmony and balance. There is a playfulness in his work with shapes jumping out and receding; seemingly flat shapes become dimensional. Above all, he strives to achieve pure beauty in each finished piece.
He is influenced by contemporary potters but finds that his background in the ceramic industry has given him a broader appreciation of ceramics, notably the fine examples of crystalline glaze produced by Royal Doulton before the first world war together with their Chang and Flambe ware.
Ruskin, Bernard Moore, Moorcroft and Pilkington’s Royal Lancastrian also inspire him along with many French potters such as Auguste Delaherche and Clement Massier. Tony shows his work at selected events in the UK, mainland Europe and the USA.
