Bernard Leach Pottery Collection donated to Selkirk College

Selkirk College’s Kootenay School of the Arts (KSA)1 has received a generous donation of Bernard Leach Pottery from Carol (Proudfoot) Couch.

Carol (Proudfoot) Couch was born in Nelson and was an art teacher at Stanley Humphries Secondary School in Castlegar for many years. She increased her knowledge of fine arts with extra credit courses in Vancouver as well as traveling the world visiting museums and art galleries. Carol married Tommy Couch in 1962 and enjoyed a honeymoon trip to England where she visited the Bernard Leach Studio. The Leach Pottery she is donating was purchased on this trip.

Bernard Leach, a respected English potter, is influential to this day for elevating the caliber of clay craft and studio pottery.

After studying in Japan under the ceramic master Kenzan, Bernard Leach returned in 1920 to St Ives, England with Japanese potter Shoji Hamada and started his own pottery studio. Over the next 50 years this facility was a major focal point for the clay pottery movement.

Throughout his life, Bernard Leach traveled extensively creating an identity for artist potters and passing on his knowledge to potters around the world. Many apprentices have gone on to become highly recognized for their personal ceramic achievements.

In the collection is one lidded “jam” bowl that has been personally made and decorated by Bernard Leach, with his mark signed in glaze at the base level. There are two lidded soup bowls from the standard items of “kitchenware” that were produced by the Leach Pottery studio in St Ives, England. The St Ives logo is stamped into the clay at the base of the bowls.

Also included in the collection is "The Leach Pottery", St Ives’ items catalogue and one of the most important pottery books of the era, “A Potter’s Book”, written by Bernard Leach.

"This is a significant donation to the college and we are very thankful for Carol's gift." explains Garry Graham, Instructor of Clay at KSA, "Organizations and potters worldwide have supported the preservation and restoration of St Ives Pottery. We are now able to use this collection in our own community for visual educational purposes."

This unique and invaluable collection of pottery will soon be on display for all to view at Selkirk College’s Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson.

First published on July 10, 2008