Michael Cardew

British, 1901–1983

Birth placeLondon, England

Death placeTruro, England

BiographyBorn: 1901, Wimbeldon, London. Died: 1983, Truro, Cornwall. Education: Exeter College, Oxford, from 1916-1920; St. Ives Pottery in Cornwall from 1920-1923 with Bernard Leach as his first apprentice. Collections: His work can be found in dozens of major museums across the world from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London to the Boijmans Museum in Rotterdam. Art: Michael Cardew learned to throw pottery from W. Fishley Holland of Braunton Pottery in Devon while on a summer vacation. Cardew established Winchcombe Pottery in 1924 and made earthenware pots there until 1938. The next year he established Wenford Bridge Pottery in Cornwall. The same year he was appointed to teach pottery at Achimota College on the Gold Coast of Africa (now Ghana) and to set up a production pottery to supply wartime pottery needs in Africa. When the war ended Cardew remained and founded the Vume Pottery. In 1947 he was appointed senior pottery officer in Nigeria. He remained there until 1970, when his health forced his return to Wenford Bridge. Cardew was also the author of Pioneer Pottery, one of the greatest pottery manuals ever written.

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