AFTER initially studying medicine, then psychology Matthew Blakely departed Thatcher's Britain to travel, finally settling in Australia, where he studied Ceramics at the National Art School, ESTC, Sydney. Graduating in 1993, he gained a distinction and was awarded the State Medal. He worked in Sydney, making oxidised stoneware and porcelain tableware, and also handmade tiles. In 1997 he headed north to the Mid-north coast of New South Wales, where it was economically possible to work as a potter and support a growing family.
Here he built a workshop and adjoining gallery, a gas fired kiln for porcelain and a woodfired Bourry Box kiln. Dissatisfied with the 'dry' static results from the wood kiln he began introducing soda and finally started saltglazing
In 2002, encountering horror from Australian and incredulity from British friends he returned to the UK with his family and set up a new workshop with new kilns in Lode, Cambridgeshire. Finally, after months of building and more months of coping with the change of clays and materials, trying to recreate and develop new glazes, he is producing pots again. All his current work is thrown in porcelain and has developed with the change of environment.
Matthew's pots are softly thrown, sometimes altered giving an added tension and covered with fluid glazes or contrasting satin and gloss, often with small splashes of colour to emphasise movement in the forms.