Britton, Alison (1948–)
Britton, Alison (1948–)
English potter. Born 1948 in Harrow, Middlesex, England; attended Leeds College of Art, 1966–67; trained in ceramics at Central School of Art and Design, 1967–70; studied photography at Royal College of Art, 1970–73, before turning to tile work under tutelage of Hans Coper.
Major ceramic artist, curator and writer, who employed strong graphic element in early work, but since 1980s has worked in more sculptural manner; uses slab construction technique, drawing on influences as diverse as prehistoric artifacts, medieval Far East and 20th-century painting and architecture; was joint curator for groundbreaking exhibition "The Raw and the Cooked" (1993); taught at Royal College of Art and lectured at many institutions; exhibitions include "Work of Alison Britton" at Crafts Council, London (1979), Retrospective at Aberystwyth Arts Centre (1990), "Form and Function" at Marianne Heller Gallery, Sandhausen, Germany (1995), and Barrett Marsden Gallery (solo show every 2-3 years since 1998). Awarded Order of the British Empire (OBE, 1990); shortlisted for Jerwood prize for Applied Arts: Ceramics (2001).
See also Peter Dormer and David Cripps, Alison Britton in Studio (Bellew, 1985).