Charles Bound
Wood-Fired Anagama Ware

Charles Bound was born in New York City in 1939. He graduated from Union College in 1962 with a degree in English Literature, and spent the next three years of his life teaching at secondary level. From 1965 to 1971 he worked for the McGraw-Hill publishing company, dividing his time between the USA and Africa. By 1972 he was juggling a variety of commitments; working for the publishing company, teaching, travelling, writing and theatre work, mostly in Kenya.
Charles did not come to study ceramics until 1983, due to his wife Joy's interest in the field. His 'enthusiastic activities' at Jakob Krammer College of Art in Leeds led tutor David Graham to rely on him as technician. Charles went on to teach recreational classes both at the college and also Armley Prison.
He eventually set up his own studio in Otley, Yorkshire, and then, with the support of Eric Taylor, artist and former Principal of Leeds College of Art, and his family, acquired the use of space on a nearby farm where he could build his own large wood-fired tunnel kiln. For the past ten years Charles has been making pots that have been exclusively fired in wood-fuelled tunnel kilns.

"I have heard Charles Bound compared to, and categorised with, other potters who have chosen wood-firing as the medium to achieve their work. That Charles uses fire and clay is undeniable, but the similarity ends there. Charles pushes the materials to the limit over and over - both in his handling of the clay and the repeated firing.
For me Charles Bound is an artist who happens to use clay and fire to achieve form and colour in the same sense that Tapies uses his native Spanish earth to make the concretions that are his paintings.
For those who can only see Charles Bound’s work in the context of ceramics he has to be one of the very best we have."
Anthony Hepworth

Bowl:
This flared summer bowl with vigous carved foot in the Japanese manner (Kakurezaki Ryuichi) was fired in France, the cross or bird motif is in applied slip made from clay obtained from the beach at Bandol.
Size: height, 8.5cm diameter,17.0cm
Reference: CB-TB02