The form and function of my work can be traced back to centuries-old pots such as English medieval jugs and early Tamba ware from Japan.
Clive Bowen studied painting and etching at Cardiff Art School before taking up an apprenticeship with Michael Leach at Yelland Pottery in North Devon from 1965 until 1969. In 1971 he bought a small agricultural property at Shebbear, near Holsworthy in North Devon and set up a workshop in the former farm outhouses. His pots are made in the local Fremington clay, a red earthenware clay in use for centuries for traditional North Devon wares. They are almost all wheel thrown with the exception of a few hand-pressed dishes.
Public collections include:
Victoria & Albert Museum, London; National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Ulster Museum, Belfast; Crafts Council Collection, London; York City Art Gallery; Stoke on Trent City Museum; Winnipeg Art Gallery, Canada; Mingeikan, Tokyo; Mashiko Museum of Ceramics, Japan; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.