History of Ceramicus
Ceramicus has its origins in Farnham Art College, that ran evening classes with such great potters like Henry Hammond, Paul Barron and Siddig el Nigoumi as tutors.
Early in the 70’s the evening classes were held at No.69B - off West Street in Farnham and were tutored by another well known potter, Duncan Ross.
In the mid 1970’s the classes relocated to the old part of the Art College in West St.
It was here that Katerina Evangelidou eventually took over tutoring from Duncan Ross – late 1970’ early 1980’s. Amongst other innovative things she introduced were Raku Firings done on the land to the rear of the buildings. Very basic stuff with the Kiln built on the day out of Fire bricks in an Igloo shape. Paraffin was dripped into the tunnel, lit and then blown into the Kiln by a household vacuum cleaner set into reverse so that it blew oxygen into the kiln to feed the flame. Katrina’s husband, Graham Ellerby, was always there to help and ensure everything went safely. Also Wood firings were done in their
Wood-fired Kiln in their home studios - as well as Raku and Pit Firings.
When the Art College decided not to continue with Pottery (or any other) evening classes, it all closed down for about a year in 1998. Most of us survived the best we could until, in 1999, the old Wrecclesham Pottery buildings became available, having been renovated by Farnham Buildings Preservation Trust and purchased by Guy Hains. So evening and day classes in pottery came back to Farnham – still called ‘West Street Potters’. Katrina, still the tutor for a couple of classes, but other tutors for other evenings and day classes. The empty, former commercial pottery, buildings had to be completely fitted out by the whole group using many of the Kilns, Damp cupboards, Clay preparation facilities, throwing wheels etc. from the old Art College buildings.
After a time, it was in Katrina’s evening classes that she chatted to some of us suggesting that we form a group to exhibit our work in Galleries and we came up with the name that, as we were potters and friends, we should be called ‘Ceramicus’.
Our first exhibition was held in 2010 in the Oxmarket Gallery in Chichester. Our second in 2011 was in, what was then called ‘City Space’ in the Discovery Centre, now ‘The Arc’, in Winchester. We have held annual exhibitions ever since, in various venues including Haslemere Museum, the Pottery in Wrecclesham and, eventually, our now regular favourite The Allen Gallery, Alton.
Still supporting each other and enjoying making pottery!