About the artist
Keith Brymer Jones (born June 1965) is a British potter and ceramic designer, known for his homeware Word Range with retro lettering and punk motifs. In 2015, he debuted as an expert judge alongside Kate Malone on BBC2’s The Great Pottery Throw Down where his readiness to shed tears at the contestants’ work attracted comment. He has continued his role and remained as a judge when the programme transferred to More4 in 2020. [More: keithbrymerjones.com]
Keith, I got a miniature ceramic tea set for my 7-year-old kiddo, who is addicted to digital, and it has become a big hit all of a sudden. What do you think is the secret to pottery?
Well, in one way it’s not rocket science. As children, we are fascinated by creating our own worlds whether it be as a coping mechanism, or the sheer joy of our own capacity to use our imagination. It’s true, it’s not for every person/child, but for the ones it is for it is captivating. I think the opportunity to use and escape into your own world coupled with the use of clay is as it was for me such an overwhelmingly positive experience. Clay is a perfect medium for all of the above. It’s completely malleable, you can work in 2 or 3 dimensions, culminating in the fact that you can then make it solid, permanent for eternity by introducing what you have made to extreme heat by way of the firing process. The idea, that sense of imagination captured in a single moment with clay.
I know you’ve spent your entire adult life doing pottery. How does it feel for you to see the growing interest in pottery?
Ha! My initial thoughts were why has it taken you so long!!! Seriously though, it’s wonderful. To spread the love of what you do to a wider audience is indeed uplifting. I must admit when I was first asked if I wanted to be involved in The Great Pottery Throw Down about making pottery on telly, my initial thought was “Really?!?”. It’s like watching paint dry surely, but thankfully I was wrong.
So, what is it like to be committed to something so loyally?
Without sounding too evangelical, it’s like a calling, a yearning to work with a substance that is nearly as old as the Earth itself. It feels like a companion that has been with me throughout my life. A passion that can grow with you no matter how fast or slowly you want to learn. There is something incredibly sensual about working with a material that has come out of the ground. Just you and the clay… How are you going to speak to each other today! ☺
Let’s say you are not doing pottery for a moment! What do you do when you have ‘spare time’?
Eat!! ☺ Oh, and drink, mostly wine although I am doing dry January so obviously making more pottery instead. I also like to swim in the sea. I once had a therapist that asked me if I had any hobbies. I had to think about it for a moment. I then answered, “No”, “No, I don’t”. My life is my hobby.
I must admit when I was first asked if I wanted to be involved in The Great Pottery Throw Down about making pottery on telly, my initial thought was “Really?!?”
Keith on his Channel 4 show.
It’s like watching paint dry surely, but thankfully I was wrong.
How is your relationship with the potters in your show behind the scenes? How does it feel to witness their hard work and commitment in such a short period?
Ha! Well, as you can probably imagine (see) I do get quite emotional. I send each one of the potters a personal letter before we start the show with some tools. Usually, I state in the letter that they have no idea upon the journey they just about to embark on. It is a journey, a journey of discovery, not just regarding pottery but also (if they’re lucky) about themselves, and every week you see this transformation happening up at the judging bench which is totally and utterly inspiring. It’s also fascinating watching them learn new skills and how they cope with that as individuals. I find the potters on the show inspiring, brave, and incredibly hardworking in something that they love: Pottery!
Okay, I am not asking the best potter ever in the TGPT but who do you think made the biggest progress during the show?
That’s a hard question as they all learn something. Also, I don’t think I can answer it as it would be seen to be favouritism, and more importantly detrimental to my contract! ☺ ☺
Do you have any of those art pieces sitting around your house as a souvenir now? I’d love Clover’s Russian dolls myself!
No, I am not allowed to take anything away unfortunately as it has to stand, and be displayed in the TGPT gallery. However, some of the potters do give me some of their own work after the show which is wonderful. I’m getting quite a collection.
Yes, I agree, Clover’s Russian doll set was wonderful. The interesting thing for me was that out of all the sets it was the smallest, and yet had the biggest impact on the observer. Truly brilliant!
The reason I really wanted to talk to you is the way you get triggered by beauty, I guess. Why do you think we get emotional when we experience something we think is beautiful?
Well, I seriously think I could write a book in connection to this question, and maybe one day I will. There is a myriad of reasons why one gets emotional to the point of tears when looking at/upon something that is beautiful. Art is an incredibly powerful form of communication both in terms of conveying a message, but also simultaneously project an emotional response. Art is subjective to the observer as the phrase goes “there is no accounting for taste”. We are indeed all different (Thank God). This is what I love with my soul regarding anything creative. There are infinite ways of expressing oneself through ‘Art’, whether that be music, literature, performance, ceramics, etc etc etc.
As Infected Ear, we are big fans of falling into loops. Do you have the habit of enjoying an art piece on repeat mode? It could be a song you listen to over and over or an item you stand in wonder… Do you fast-consume and move on, or get stuck in that feeling for a while instead?
Yes, absolutely. I have a few pieces of music that I find incredibly powerful. They evoke such strong emotions that when sitting on my wheel making pots it is out of all the senses the perfect (the ears, to listen) one to use, and when listening to music whilst creating, it’s as if your senses are all working for a common purpose and have the ultimate goal of producing something of beauty.
Can you name us some of those, then?
Yes, I can!
Before we finish, what do your future projects look like now?
Well, there are plans for more TV in various forms, plus (fingers crossed) more series of ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down’. It has been somewhat of a surprise as to the popularity of the show no more so than mine. There is a real sense of honesty to the programme which I think hopefully the audience can respect and identify with. I have always been brought up to never be embarrassed about your emotions. Therefore if I see someone has struggled to overcome adversity in a creative endeavour, for me this is a trigger which I can only respond with by being totally open to my response and the person offering up their creation.
Thank you very much for doing this with us, Keith. Last but not least, I would like to call out to the producers of the Great Pottery Throw Down! Please let the show run forever!
Ha! Yes, I agree. Answers as above!
