Robert Franklin

Robert Franklin Lives and works in Bannockburn, near Cromwell, Central Otago. He was a part-time studio potter for a decade in the 1970’s.

Returning to ceramics has been an immensely rewarding journey. Sitting once again at the pottery wheel, simply to see what would emerge, produced unexpected and exciting results. The knowledge and experience I had gained in studio pottery remained with me, in both my mind and my hands, but the work that emerged was unlike anything I had created before.

Today, I create works in raku, saggar firing, stoneware and porcelain, drawing on years of experience while continuing to explore new techniques and ideas. My ceramics have been exhibited locally and nationally, and I have been honoured to be invited as a guest artist at a number of exhibitions.

My practice is deeply influenced by the early ceramic traditions of Japan and China. A week spent near the village of Mashiko, home of the late Shoji Hamada, one of Japan's National Living Treasures, was a particularly formative experience.

My work explores form, surface and texture, celebrating the effects of fire rather than relying on glaze. Unconstrained by production, I allow each piece to evolve naturally, guided by the clay, the firing process and what flows from my hands on the day.

“The true work of art is but a shadow of divine perfection” - Michelangelo.