CHAUCER on BRIDGE STREET

Michael Evans was born in 1961 in Maitland where his parents were teachers. They moved to Armidale the following year. Michael attended Ben Venue Primary School and Duval High School. It was while at high school he became interested in ceramics. His interest in ceramics developed further when he took a college night class under Mark Loving in Texas USA where he had gone on a tennis scholarship.

Michael currently gives pottery lessons in using wheels on Saturday mornings at his studio in the gallery. For details call in at the gallery or ring 67752122 in the evenings.

Pieces made by the students are glazed and fired at the studio.

Michael completed a B.A. dip Ed. at the University of New England. At the same time he worked on single glazing, oil and wood-fired pottery with Will Castle. Michael graduated as a history teacher in 1986 and was appointed to a school in Western Sydney. He took a lengthy break from ceramics as he pursued a teaching career.

Michael's interest in pottery continued and his desire to develop techniques to work on a larger scale, lead to further study with Cameron Williams at the National Art School in Sydney. Michael had moved to Robertson where he met John Payne. With the assistance of Neil Boughton, Michael and John, developed an enthusiasm for Raku. In 2001 Michael won the Open Ceramics Section at the Fisher’s Ghost Festival in Campbelltown with this fine piece.

In 2015 Michael moved back to the family home in the Invergowrie area and has set up his potting studio in the family gallery in Uralla. He is teaching at Guyra Central School now, but each week on Fridays and the weekends he is usually in the gallery potting.

Since 2001 Michael has been experimenting with crystalline glazes, which have become his passion. With some advice from Evan Davis on firing cycles, and the refinement of glaze formulation both Michael and John Payne have achieved some spectacular results.

Crystalline pottery dates back to the late nineteenth century when several of the main European porcelain factories began experimenting with the technique. Despite the great beauty of many of the pots that were produced during this period, all of the industrial potteries abandoned their pursuit of crystals due to the technical difficulties and unreliability of glaze firings.

Despite many improvements in kiln technology during the twentieth century, crystalline glazes remain amongst the most difficult techniques that a ceramic artist can attempt to master. The best results are achieved on porcelain clay due to its whiteness and fired strength.

The crystals on these pieces are zinc silicate crystals and are formed during the cooling cycle.

The high gloss of crystalline glazes is very attractive.

There is no mistake that potting is a messy business but the results are amazing.

In 2016 Michael will give some classes in ceramics at the gallery on Saturdays. He can be contacted on 67752122 or 0410101266 or by email at <mevans29702@hotmail.com>.

Michael's basins come in several colours. They are ideal for people who are renovating a bathroom or building a new home.
A view of the new studio. Some of his equipment is under cover outside at the back of the gallery.


This large urn in the front of the gallery catches the eye of many people.	Michael is in his workshop in the gallery Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

New pots in the window September 2017

Cutting the catcher off the green pot with the grinder.