Bruce Walford
Ceramic Artist in Residence 

Bruce Walford

Born into a family of artists and craftspeople in 1951, Bruce completed a traditional apprenticeship in hand-thrown tableware. He has since established studios and practised his craft in Florence, Edinburgh, Cape Town and Noosa. He is presently the Artist in Residence for the Otaki Pottery Club.

In addition to operating his studio he contributes to production projects for Decopot and advises on design and performance matters for Primo Clays.

The tradition of good craftsmanship; ranging from painting, design, restoration and woodworking to pottery, has been in the Walford family for generations.

Other major influences on Bruce's work have been Shoji Hamada and Bernard Leach, both of whom Bruce perceives as having a true understanding of honesty, humility and beauty.

Bruce has always set out to make good 'honest' pots that will withstand the test of time. He sees his craft as a continual learning process; intellectually, personally and spiritually, and his greatest challenge is not to become detached from his work but to involve himself body and soul in every piece he makes. 
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Working mainly on his own for more than twenty years, he has experimented with many clays and firing processes and has personally found reduction firing the most exciting.