A transition piece before John moved totally into hand-building the slab pots with their matt finish - is this glazed vessel, introducing elements of motifs familiar in his later work.

Gradually the pots evolved into painterly decorated stoneware vessel forms with only a nod to functionality. These more sculptural pieces were soon recognised by avant-garde galleries, leading to many exhibitions in the later 1970s (notably in Kyoto, Japan) and throughout the 1980s.

In 1996 John underwent severe heart surgery. As he was regaining his strength, he started 'doodling' with small lumps of clay, shaping them into tigers, angels, birds and kings. As he grew stronger the work increased in size and scope and it was in this vein that he continued working for the rest of his life.

Angels are among the most popular images in John's work. These are a few in the show.

Birds - especially the symbolic Corvids - featured strongly in John's sculpture. Sometimes astride a King's head (albeit with benign expression) - or catching fish - they always present a powerful image.

Among the many discoveries in John's workshops were figures of various sizes and many component pieces that went to create his sculptures. We have mounted some of these - and others are complete.

John was a great admirer Picasso's ground-breaking talents and in some of his figures there is more than a nod to the great artist's interpretations of the human figure. Humour is much evident in John's work too - visible here in his playful cats!

Throughout his life John was a passionate sailor. He loved the thrill of racing and was also very knowledgeable about all kinds of boats and shipping, both historical and contemporary. Seafaring imagery abounded in both his ceramic reliefs, tiles and the painted wood automata.
This first image of his wall reliefs is a poignant one as it is the last piece he made in the week before his death in December 2020 and was unfired when we found it in his workshop. We are grateful to Cornish potter Tamsin Trevorrow for undertaking the firing and finishing of it so it can be displayed in this exhibition.

These following three are among the rarest and most unusual of John's newly discovered work.
The first relief is an early mixed media piece mounted on a panel of stained oak boards, which is how he presented the reliefs before he framed them, as in the collection above.

More very original mixed media works follow, which obviously reflect the thoughts that John was pondering at the time.

In 2003 John set up his easel and started to make paintings. Often his subjects were the favoured harbour and sailing scenes, but this below is a rare still-life, the jug reflecting the design of one of his slab-built stoneware vessels of the 1980s and '90s.

Concurrently with his clay work John was making automata and painted models - some in clay - some in wood, bringing into play his talents for drawing, graphic design and calligraphy. An artist-toymaker he much admired was Sam Smith (1908-1983). Some of John's pieces reflect the mischievous humour and idiosyncratic character of Sam's toys and automata.

Among the exhibits are many painted wood and clay 'fragments' ~ component parts to John's sculptures and automata. The smallest of these (beads for his necklaces, earrings for kings or medallions, fish, etc) will be displayed in groups and priced individually. A few of the special 'heads' (most with hooks for hanging) are shown below, with a collection of fish.

Less familiar to many, maybe, are the clay bead necklaces that John made. Several of these were also found stored in his workshops. Apart from these original ones, jeweller Lucy Oldland has created her own designs of necklaces, earrings and bangles out of random piles of his clay beads, combined with silver.

JOHN MALTBY - A Life of Creativity
Second Edition - updated and with more pages and illustrations.

Originally written to accompany the ‘Homage to John Maltby’ exhibition of Summer 2022, this beautiful hardback book contains examples of John's work spanning his entire career. A true celebration of his life of creativity, it is available through us here at the Yew Tree Gallery and costs £28  unwrapped and £30 wrapped in our exclusive John Maltby paper, plus £4 UK postage. Please contact Gilly to discuss overseas shipping.

You can purchase online using our secure payment system

Purchase unwrapped copies of the book  here

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Purchase 5 sheets of gift wrap  here