We met ceramicist Rick Henham in his St Ives studio to talk about his move from London and his expectations for the Hidden Art Cornwall Design Fair this summer.
You had a studio at the Chocolate Factory in Hackney for several years, what brought you to Cornwall?
A loathing of traffic jams in London. Sitting in traffic on a sunny day is such a waste. Although you can be busy anywhere, now it only takes 5-10 minutes to get out of town rather than hours. I’d wanted to move for years and years so it was long overdue. I had the old dream of being self sufficient. In reality that grand vision of things is very hard to accomplish and it didn’t happen, but just to be here is fine.
Is it important to you to be part of a shared studio set up?
Yes. It’s amazing how few workshops there are in Cornwall, everyone works from their garden shed or garage, so I was lucky to get this place at the Gaolyard Studios where there are kilns and everything. I did that myself when I started my studio in London but didn’t want to have to do it all over again. I wouldn’t want to work in isolation either. Being here gives me a sounding board in terms of ideas and being part of Hidden Art Cornwall is an extension of that.
How did you hear about Hidden Art Cornwall?
I was involved with Hidden Art London from near the beginning and saw it grow from a very small Hackney based organisation to London wide. It was great to see the development of the organisation and to be a part of it.
I didn’t join Hidden Art Cornwall when I first moved because when membership was advertised a carrot was being dangled that you could showcase at the Open Studios in Hackney. As I had just come from there I thought I could pass on that but I definitely wanted to be part of it again. It lends itself to networking, depending on what is laid on to take part in. I heard how well organised the Design Fair was last year and really wanted to get involved and support it.
What are you hoping to get out of the Design Fair?
I sell in a very low key way but I am starting to make inroads locally, with work in Trelawarren and Trelissick galleries. I’ve still got outlets in London and I’m gradually creeping forwards with outlets here but it’s hard to discover why, if things don’t sell as well as you think. You never get feedback from galleries so I’m hoping the Design Fair will be a good opportunity for that.
Do you use the feedback you receive at events to adapt your work?
Yes. I resisted it for a long while and continued to make what I wanted but it’s a bit silly really. For some reason I wasn’t keen on making bowls, even though that’s what people want to buy from potters. Now I’ve gone mad and made loads of bowls. They started off very chunky but are thinner now because people prefer more lightweight pieces that they can just take away. It’s transformed all the ideas I have for making. I have big pieces that sell slowly in a gallery but at selling events, where it’s more of a spontaneous buying decision, sales can be very slow. It’s made such a difference to make smaller items that you can sell more of.
