James Evans

My journey started in the 1980s at Ipswich School of at Art with the ambition of becoming a graphic designer, but the freedom my friends exhibited in the fine art department was closer to my artistic sensibilities. I chose ceramics and went to Central St. Martins in London to complete my BA Honours degree. I was fortunate to be taught by Rob Kessler, Richard Slee, Eileen Nesbit and Gillian Lowndes, and with their input them another transformation occurred from functional to sculptural. The work completed on the course awarded me with a full scholarship to study at Colorado University in Boulder, USA. Here I worked under the guidance of Betty Woodman, Scot Chamberlain and Tom Potter. The experience of working in a huge, equipped department with access to a large studio was to lead to a change in scale and materials. On returning to England in 1990 I got a post as Artist in Residence. With access to studios, I made some new work for my first solo show at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde, Denmark. At the end of the residency, I started up my own studio in South London.

I was chosen by the curator Tessa Peters to be included in a show at the Barbican Centre called “Atlantic Crossings”. I was subsequently shortlisted for the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2001 and the Arts Foundation Fellowship in 2004. From here I was to have my first London solo exhibition with gallery Cosa and represented them for three years at COLLECT. I have since taken part in numerous group shows, including; Award at BCB (2011); Ripe at the Crafts Council (2000) Solo exhibitions include; Abugation, Marsden Woo Project Space (2012); Galerie Sandra Buergel (2007); and Hypoplastic at Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham (2002). My work is also represented in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Since 2000 I have been generously supported by Marsden Woo gallery. Presently I am making a large body of work for an exhibition at Le Don du Fel in my new studio in Norfolk.

Visit James Evans’ website and Instagram page.