Russell Coates from Gare Hill, Frome has won first place at an arts festival in Nove, Italy.
When his teaching duties at Frome Community Pottery have ended in June each year, Russell travels to Germany, Austria and Italy across the summer months to take part in three international arts and crafts festivals, and this year he scooped ‘Best in Show’ at Nove Veneto.
Nove has been famous since the Renaissance for hand painted Majolica pottery, so it is no surprise that Russell’s work, with its mixture of blue underglaze porcelain with enamel and hand painted birds, animals and sea creatures should prove a hit with the locals. Russell’s work is now displayed in the museum at Nove, alongside their world-renowned collection of Italian pottery and work by Picasso. Part of Russell’s prize is an invitation to return to Nove next year to demonstrate at the festival.
Having studied ceramics in the UK and Japan, Russell came to Frome in 1988 to teach at Frome Community College in the Community Education department. He was already an established potter with work displayed at The V&A in London. Russell continued the tradition of pottery teaching in Frome and expanded its reputation, building a wood-fired Snake Kiln in the grounds of the college and leading study tours to Morocco and Crete, amongst other exploits.
Russell continues to teach one day a week at the Frome Community Pottery, based at Frome College, where his use of the gas kiln enables the students to experience the joy of reduction firing – a rare thing amongst the world of adult and community education.
With this international honour, Russell continues to fly the flag for pottery in the UK, and Frome in particular, where the Community Pottery brings much envy from everyone who hears about it. As one of Russell’s students said, “We are so lucky to have superb facilities at our community pottery, and it wouldn’t be here if it were not for Russell and his colleagues. He is a gem as far as we are concerned.”
Russell now teaches for Frome Community Education where, not surprisingly, pottery classes are full, with a healthy waiting list. Details of these and all the other classes that Community Education offer, can be found at their website, www.fromecommed.org.uk
