Rob Whelpton

Rob Whelpton was born in Hartlepool in 1952. He trained at North Staffordshire Polytechnic, qualifying in the art of ceramics in 1974. After college Rob spent time in Botswana and Denmark until 1983 when returned to England. He initially worked as trainee at Dart Pottery. Then in 1985 he established his own pottery and sculpture workshop.

Whelpton has created a distinctive style of ceramic sculpture. His pieces are patterned with motifs of birds, animals, boats and fish -combining beauty and skill with a strong element of humour. He uses the Raku process, firing each art piece outdoors. The crackling of the glazes and vibrant colours of each sculpture is achieved by taking the red hot sculptures straight from the kiln and placing them in sawdust, which ignites with the heat, further charring the unglazed areas. Changing humidity and temperature means each sculpture takes on a different and unexpected finish. His sculptures are coloured using slips and metallic salts and he often enhances his sculptures using gold leaf.