Our Projects

The Joanna Bird Foundation is producing a new documentary about master potter Michael O’Brien. A vital yet lesser-known figure of British ceramics, O’Brien is the last link to the British Studio Pottery movement as a peer of Bernard Leach and Michael Cardew and represents a crucial bridge between the UK & Nigerian craft traditions. This

Having trained under masters who defined twentieth-century British ceramics, including Michael Cardew, Michael O’Brien and Alan Caiger–Smith, Miranda Thomas has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading ceramic artists. Settling in Vermont, she has founded the prestigious workshop, ShackletonThomas, alongside her husband Charles Shackleton. Miranda’s pieces, decorated with designs inspired by the magic

Marking the line: Ceramics and Architecture was a touring exhibition, conceived and curated by Joanna Bird who commissioned four artists to create ceramic installations responding to the life and work of Sir John Soane. The exhibition sought to challenge how much we could learn from the opportunity to view ancient and modern works of art set in different historical contexts and thereby to explore the relationship between ceramics and architecture.

Elemental firings at the Port Eliot Estate, Cornwall generated by Marking the line: Ceramics and Architecture touring exhibition.

Held at Somerset House, London in 2013, this symposium was the culmination of the touring exhibition, chaired by Glenn Adamson. The distinguished speakers included Eric Parry, Dr Jerzy Kierkuć-Bieliński, Joanna Bird, Suzanne Lovell and Jeremy Theophilus.

A documentary film exploring in depth Richard Batterham’s world of making, and the philosophy behind a life in pottery which has resulted in worldwide recognition for his masterly work.

On September 27th 2017 the Dolby Theatre in Soho Square hosted the London premiere of Richard Batterham, Master Potter.

In the month of November 2019 and in conjunction with the celebration of Joanna Bird’s London gallery’s 25th Anniversary, a selection of artists were invited to talk in relation to their understanding of Art, Form and Function in their practice. Image on the right is ‘Ponte Panada, Venice’ byWilliam Wilkins, CBE.

The Joanna Bird Foundation produced a short film with Gregory Warren Wilson in which he discussed his artistic process and his new mosaics for Collect 2021.

Gregory Warren Wilson and Joanna discussed Gregory’s latest abstract works in glass, his perspectives on colour and his life’s work in art, poetry and music.

Tracey Rowledge gave an illuminating tour of her studio and discussed her recent bookbinding work and past projects.

A talk between Adam Buick and Joanna in Chiswick. They discussed Adam’s source of materials; iron pyrites from the beach where he surfs, his love of the Moon Jar form and the process of wood firing.

Fergus Garrett, Head Gardener at Great Dixter, presented two lectures on the same evening at the Joanna Bird Gallery, entitled ‘Designing with Plants the Great Dixter Way’.