‘I’m writing this on the kitchen table, in mid spring, and on the shelf in front of me supermarket daffs stand in a jug by Phil, wood-fired, long-necked, studded with pellets, and with that distinctive elegant high bend in the handle. Near to it are two round lidded jars, pine ash glazed, in which I keep garlic and ginger. By the kettle is one of his tea pots and on the window sill a line of yunomis and chawans, one of which is reserved exclusively for beating eggs prior to scrambling, and also - bucking the trend - a lovely little perfume box used once a year to hold the ashes of burnt palm crosses, which, mixed with a little oil, I use to mark a cross on the foreheads of my parishioners on Ash Wednesday.’ The Rev. Richard Coles writing about Phil Rogers in Goldmark’s spring 2020 magazine.
Phil Rogers, one of the outstanding British potters of his generation, will be exhibiting here at Goldmark Gallery from 16 May. This will be the 5th major exhibition of his work at Goldmark and each show has built on the success of the one before. Goldmark is, of course, closed because of the Coronavirus however the exhibition will be available virtually to the public with an online tour and new film from Goldmark TV featuring both an interview with Rogers and footage of him at work - on goldmark.tv. The exhibition will also see the publication of a new catalogue written by the Rev. Richard Coles, Vicar of Finedon, former member of 1980s pop group The Communards and presenter of Radio 4 programme Saturday Live.
‘We obviously look forward to welcoming everyone back into the gallery at the end of the current crisis. However we had to conduct the recent Svend Bayer exhibition virtually and it was a tremendous success - with 1000s of views and over 200 pots sold. We are sure that people will enjoy the Phil Roger’s virtual opening just as much. We are geared to chat online and on the phone and to sell and deliver and are delighted that people are continually interacting with gallery each and every day.' Jay Goldmark.
Phil Rogers was born in Newport, Gwent in 1951. He attended Newport and Swansea Colleges of Art and had originally intended to become a painter. While still at college in the early 1970s Rogers and a friend taught themselves to throw using Bernard Leach’s A Potter’s Book while their throwing practice came from competing to see who could make the biggest pot.
Rogers has written respected books on ash glazes, throwing techniques and salt glazing. He has run workshops and lectured all over the world, most notably in South Korea and the USA and his work is held in more than 50 museums worldwide. In 2011 Rogers won the prestigious Vasefinder International prize.