Feats of Clay, by Dr Oliver Kent
Bristol is a city with clay in its veins. From famous Bristol porcelain to distinctive Bristol delftware, ceramics are woven into its identity. You can, of course, see fine examples in museums, but what if you took a walk instead? What if, in a kind of potter’s I-SPY, you started spotting ceramic treasures hidden in plain sight?
This delightful little book invites you to do just that. It gathers a selection of ceramic finds discovered while wandering around Bristol with ceramicist Dr Oliver Kent, one of our former trustees and an honorary patron. His choices aren’t bound by period, architecture, or material, instead, each piece tells a story about the city, about creativity and craft, and about the surprising ways ceramics enliven our everyday surroundings.
As you follow Oliver’s journey, exploring Bristol’s ceramic gems becomes a joyful game of discovery. You’ll find a giraffe, a leaping fox, elegant shopfronts, architectural flourishes, a Frenchified chateau, ceramic washing machines, and even mysterious bumps on Clifton Downs.
Let Oliver’s expert eye and infectious curiosity spark your own imagination. Before long, you might start noticing frogs, fish, and colourful mosaics on your own walks, building your very own museum of curiosities across the city.
The book is available to purchase from our collection for £9.50.
