Peter Hayes British, b. 1946
Peter Hayes (b. 1946) works are achieved by building up layers of textured clay combined with the burnishing and polishing of surface. He aims to achieve a mixture of rough and smooth textures throughout his ceramic works, having been inspired by the history of ceramics and the work of potters he met during his travels.
Peter has been inspired by his extensive travels across the world, working with various tribes and village potters. He became intrigued by how these artists created exquisite pieces with limited techonology and basic tools. Such intrigue has driven his work and he firmly believes that it's the material that is in charge and it's his role to find an equilibrium between maker and material.
Selected Galleries
Bait Muzna Gallery, Muscat, Oman
Majlis Gallery, Dubai
James Graham Gallery – New York
William Zimmer Gallery – California
Gallery Victor Armendariz – Chicago
Bourgainvillia gallery – Udaipur, India
Gallerie Le Pignon – Netherlands
Beside The Wave – London
The Circle Gallery – Wadebridge, Cornwall
Porthminster Gallery – St Ives, Cornwall
Blackmore Gallery – Lymm, Cheshire.
Roundhose Gallery – Foxton, Derbyshire.
Public Collections
Grassi Museum Leipzig
Jerwood Foundation
Crowne Estates, London
Dorothy House, Bradford on Avon
Scottish National Galley, Edinburgh
Museum of Modern Art, Kingston, Jamaica
Garderner Collection, Toronto
Museum of Modern Art, Brussels, Belgium
Silber Collection, California
J.B Speed Museum, Louisville KY
Selected Commissions
2016
Group of Sculptures, Artelier Art Advisory.
Standing Stone, Private collection, Bath
Sculptures, Studio Reed, London.
2015
6 Sculptures for Yacht, Mark Berryman Design.
Wall Sculpture, Private Collection, Kensington, London
Wall mounted Disc, Private Collection, Wadebridge, Cornwall
2014
6ft Raku Wall Disc, Studio Indigo, London
Group of Sculptures, Terence Disdale Design, London
2013
Head mounted on Wooden base, Private Collection, East Sussex
Raku Standing Stone, Private Collection, Newmarket
Male Head mounted on Wooden Sleepers, Private Collection, St Albans.
2012
Iron Infused Figure, Private Collection, London
Group of 5 Standing Stones with Bronze boulders, Private collection, Udaipur, India.
2011
Raku Totem, Private Collection, Maryland. USA
Glass Water Sculpture, Private Collection, Cotswolds
2010
Raku Plaques, Libby Howe Ltd, Wave Projects.
Triptych of Raku Plaques, Private Collection, Bath
6ft Bow Form, Private Collection, Bath
2009
Stacks with Glass Top, Private Collection, Aylesbury
Group of Ceramics Forms, Elstone Hayes Associates
2008
Group of 5 Totems, Private Collection, London
Stack Water Feature, Private Collection, Exeter
Group of 5 Totems, Private Collection, London
3 Raku Totems, Four Seasons Hotel Golf Club, Hualalai, Hawaii.
2006
15ft Totem Water Sculpture, Private collection, Warwickshire
6ft Raku Disc with Blue Wave, Private collection, Cotswolds
2005
12 Sculptures, The Foyer, 1 Hanover Street, London
Raku Disc mounted on Stainless steel and slate base, Private Collection, Boston, USA
2004
Raku Standing Stones, P&O; Ship Arcadia, Elstone Hayes Associates
Standing Stones with Gold Inset, Private Yacht, Disdale Design & Linda Bird Art Consultant
2003
Raku Disc & Two Raku Totems, Private Yacht, John Pillar & Libby Howe, Art Consultants
2002
Bronze Family Group, Jerwood Foundation Whitney Sculpture Park
Six Totems, Shackleton House London
2001
Mounted Pebbles, GlaxoSmithKline London
Seated Bronze Figures, Prior Court, Oxfordshire
Artist Statement
I have always been interested in the history of ceramics – why and how ‘things’ are made of clay. This interest was extended after I spent several years travelling through Africa working with various tribes and village potters and being intrigued how, with limited technology and basic tools, they were able to get such exquisite, beautiful surfaces. I found the same inherent skills in India, Nepal Japan and New Mexico. I tried to adopt the ideas picked up from my travels in my own work. By building up layers of textured clay combined with burnishing and polishing of surfaces, I try to achieve opposites of rough and smooth.
I have been working on large scale ceramic forms which I have placed in the landscape. My main aim is that the work should not compete with the landscape, but evolve within the environment. With this in mind I have introduced other minerals into the Raku ceramic surface such as iron and copper. With the elements of time and erosion, the individual piece takes on its own developing surface.
Recently, one of these large commissions has taken me again to India. My Client suggested I make it on site. Now I have discovered Udaipur in Rajasthan where I come for inspiration, when my studio in Bath in England gets cold in the winter months. This has introduced me to other artists and craftsmen enabling me to work with a range of different materials, such as glass, marble, stone and Damascus steel.
In practice I go by the seat of my pants. I have always worked this way, not going by any particular rules or methods.
I find it joyful to work with many different materials. Each has its own character, its own limits, its own tolerance – some materials fight back, some play the game.
Finally I think it’s the material that is in charge and it will only let you make what it wants. It is my job to push it to its limits and somehow an equilibrium is made between maker and material.