Ben Arnup
Son of the well-known animal sculptor Sally Arnup,
and the painter and potter the late Mick Arnup, Ben initially training as a landscape
architect, qualifying in 1980. It was whilst between landscape work, in 1984, that
he made a group of ceramics at a college in Reading. Almost immediately, a gallery
bought the entire collection - selling out within a week. Spurred on by this experience,
it took him two years to set himself up as a full time ceramicist.
Since 1986, he has been producing studio ceramics, of a particular form known as trompe l'oeil (from the French meaning: 'deception of the eye').
Following the award of an Arts Council Grant in 2008, Ben has been exploring in more detail the properties of clay when it is subject to destructive forces.
"My latest work has allowed me the opportunity to explore and develop new ways of working, and is resulting in entirely new pots. This 'distressed' clay is difficult to control and has compelled me to rethink how I assemble pots - resulting in the use of new materials and techniques", says Ben.
His work is largely sold through galleries and is held in various public and private collections around the world. Ben usually seeks to show two or three times a year and has exhibited widely, including exhibitions in the U.S.A and Europe.
Since 1986, he has been producing studio ceramics, of a particular form known as trompe l'oeil (from the French meaning: 'deception of the eye').
Following the award of an Arts Council Grant in 2008, Ben has been exploring in more detail the properties of clay when it is subject to destructive forces.
"My latest work has allowed me the opportunity to explore and develop new ways of working, and is resulting in entirely new pots. This 'distressed' clay is difficult to control and has compelled me to rethink how I assemble pots - resulting in the use of new materials and techniques", says Ben.
His work is largely sold through galleries and is held in various public and private collections around the world. Ben usually seeks to show two or three times a year and has exhibited widely, including exhibitions in the U.S.A and Europe.