WILL PAPWORTH

Will Papworth (b.1996 Somerset, England) is a ceramicist and photographer, currently working in London. Following his completion of a Foundation Course at Oxford Brookes University, Papworth received his First-Class BA in Fine Art at Kingston School of Art in 2019. His final year studies saw him sit for the first time at a potter’s wheel, and he has been captivated by clay ever since. After graduation, Papworth has built himself a garden studio in East Sussex, where he taught himself how to throw and fire ceramics. Since the beggining of 2024 he has become a member of Standpoint Studios based in Central London. Here he works alongside other artists and spends time practicing, reasearching and learning more about his craft. 

Most of the artist’s work is hand-thrown, creating stoneware, earthenware and porcelain ceramics encompassing both functional tableware and works of art. His functional works comprise of both one-off and repeated forms that reflect his appreciation of simple, ergonomic design. To Will, features such as tactility and practicality are of fundamental importance - the way an object feels in the hand means as much to him as its aesthetic qualities. The various glazes he uses all share a natural and subdued palette, giving precedent to profile; mostly monochrome matte glazes are punctuated with natural greens and soft browns. Particularly drawn to ash-based glazes from locally sourced wood, Papworth finds the subtle alchemy and vast diversity of organic ashes to present endless possibilities. He continues to develop an ongoing series exploring a range of beautiful and intriguing surfaces.