A small bowl made by Janet Leach at the Leach Pottery, St Ives, Cornwall.
Size, 7 cm high, 17 cm handle to handle.
Born in Texas, USA in 1918, Janet was already an accomplished potter and sculptor before she met Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada, and their colleague Soetsu Yanagi during their tour of the States in 1952.
This meeting began her interest in the processes and philosophy of Japanese ceramics that stay with her for the rest of her career. A period of working and learning in Japan followed this before she came to St. Ives in England and in 1956 became Bernard Leach’s third wife. She also took over the management of the Leach Pottery. However, it is fair to say that her work never matched the “Leach” style and remained distinctive from the other work made around her at the Leach Pottery. Her pots forever displaying the techniques and practices learn during her time with the Ichino family at their pottery in Tamba, Japan and visits to Iga and Bizen kilns.