Once a doctor, now a potter, Bill Gowans works from his studio in the heart of Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. Bill has two ceramic passions: throwing and colour. He combines these to make large vessels decorated in a range of coloured surfaces, concentrating on subtlety, depth and layering to draw the viewer in after their first meeting with a materially imposing object.

‘Making with clay connects me to myself and the world; I centre the clay and the clay centre me. My finished pieces challenge the viewer to make their own connections with themselves and the world.’

Teaching also plays a central role in Bill’s professional life and he brings to this transferable skills from the world of medicine, including a strong commitment to lifelong learning and a deep understanding of the creative process in relationships.