Kevin Andrew Morris

During my residency in Braemar, I had the chance to meet with Kevin Andrews Morris. Sometimes dubbed the ‘nomadic ceramicist’, Kevin works across Scotland but is mainly based in Aberdeen.

I was drawn to Kevin's work for it could be regarded as an ongoing inquiry into his family heritage, notably his grandfather who was a fishing ghillie on an Aberdeenshire Estate. I was also drawn to Kevin’s work for its engaging firing processes, notably reduction gas firing and wood firing (the latter is something I am finding myself increasingly engaged with…)

I met with Kevin at Gray’s School of Art, part of the Robert Gordon University in the ceramics department. During my ceramic safari into the studio, I also got to briefly meet Matthew Wilcock, the first-ever winner of The Great Pottery Throwdown (only now without the dreadlocks) who has since undertaken a key role in the ceramics education at Gray’s. Frankly, the ceramics set up there is what younger Zoe would have craved when she first started out on this adventure.

Firstly, it was huge. On the entrance, there is a slipcasting area and space for using moulds - the walls are covered with drying racks piled with drying pots. Further into the studio you go, there is a kiln room on the left housing nine (?) kilns, all of different firing environments and sizes. Deeper in, you pass the throwing room and come into a central make space. Immediately, your eyes are drawn to the glaze wall exhibiting tile after tile of glaze tests on different clays.

Better yet, the glaze recipes are open source thanks to the university and available at glazespectrum.com.

We spoke about Kevin’s work: his use of slip casting, wood firing kilns and what that offers in a way that an oxidation kiln cannot as well as what the life of a potter is like. Excitingly, I got to see some of his works in process for an exciting commission he has got. In Ballater, there is a fancy new fish and chip restaurant opening, of which Kevin is making the wares. Amidst plates and platters, Kevin is slip-casting the iconic ‘Gluggle’ jugs that will soon be adorning their tables (as shown above).

Our trip at the Gray’s School of Art was short, for Kevin was teaching later (of which I was very grateful for that he made time to see me!). After a tight fit in the car given my ENTIRE POTTERY STUDIO including the wheel/clay/pots/baggage, we went to the Deeside Studios nearby. This is where Kevin’s personal studio is.

What struck me the most was 1) How many pots were shoved in there and 2) the homogeneity of his colour scheme. Creams, browns, being and blues sang from the shelves. Yet within this limited palette, there was such variation given the wood firings. An army of slip-cast fish stood to attention.

I loved feeling the sense of time in that little studio. Project after project was stacked up in the studio, leaving no surface and no shelf uncovered. There was an overwhelming sense of dedication in the room and a warmth of how Kevin’s practice and Kevin too have grown over time. One of the pieces that really stuck out to me was his clay-cooked venison - genius. Kevin brilliantly created a recipe card for how to cook both fish and clay, alluding to the integral firing processes in ceramics. One, however, was far more edible than the other…

It was inspiring to hear about all the projects going on at the Deemouth Artist Studios where there is such a rich sense of community, one of which was the set up of a teaching ceramics studio in the heart of the complex by himself and AJ from the Throwdown. But even more exciting was Kevin’s recent involvement in the refurbishment of the former Rothesay Rooms into the now iconic Fish Shop in Ballater. Alongside the gluggle jugs, Kevin has been making platters and plates for the new fishmongers and restaurant. Next time I’m up that way, I look forward to eating off these plates for myself.

You can check out his Etsy shop here.