Adam Buick

“By immersing myself in the study of a single form it has given me the freedom to explore its surface treatment. By having a constant I am free to experiment.”

Adam Buick, Searching for Perfection, Ceramic Review, Nov/Dec 2009, pp44/45

Buick’s interest with the Pembrokeshire landscape where his studio is located has resulted in a highly personal investigation into the natural resources available to him. The act of gathering materials, throwing and firing using a wood-fired kiln create a very active and physically demanding process for the maker which is in stark contrast to the experience the viewer may have with the finished product. The large scale of Buick’s jars removes the physical relation one may have with a smaller hand-held object and instead incites a sense of the sublime within the viewer; one may become lost within the scale and subtlety of detail.

Buick uses materials such as slate, seaweed, and course black sand (which melts during firing) in his glazes in order to create effects which replicate features of the landscape. He enjoys the uncontrollable nature of the firing process as well as experimenting with placing pots amongst controlled fires of the Pembrokeshire landscape, in order to create a variety of effects for the surface of the vessels. This individuality, along with scale, gives each pot a sense that it is precious as it cannot be replicated exactly, thus providing the consumer with an experience and feeling of owning something of value. This restores to the vessel a heightened status, moving it away from its association with the mundane of the everyday and allowing the viewer to feel a personal connection with their chosen vessel. In owning one of Buick’s moon jars, one may feel a sense of satisfaction and superiority in viewing something which no other may ever experience.