Guy Sydenham

a potter's life,a brief summary


Here is a brief summary of Guy's career

1952 - Attended course on industrial ceramics at Poole College.
1953 - 1956 - Lived with wife Joan and son Russel on M.V. Oklahoma in Poole Harbour
1956 - Moved to Long Island.
1960 - Found clay on Long Island. Built wheel and kiln and began saltglazing
1961 - Appointed part-time lecturer at Poole College of Art until 1970
1966 - Senior Designer at Poole Pottery Studio
1968 - Moved to Green Island
1975 - Exhibition at the Russell Cotes Museum art galley.
1977 - Resigned from Poole Pottery. Design consultant to Purbeck Pottery
1977 - Appointed lecturer at Southampton College of Higher Education.
1977 - Registered "Quay Pottery" with son Russel on Green Island.
1980 - Published article "Sea water Drip Saltglaze" in Ceramic Review N0 65
1982 - Member of the Advisory Panel to Southampton College of Higher Education.
1982 - Exhibitions: Lystra Galley, Poole; Dorchester Museum; Grants of Croydon.
1985 - Designed "Guys tread wheel" and "Through draft salt kiln"
1986 - Annual Exhibition at Southampton College of Higher Education
1986 - Romsey Arts and Crafts and the International Saltglaze Exhibition , Koblenz.
1986 - Exhibition and lecture "Seaforms Saltglazed" Letchworth for the Dacorum and Chiltern Potters Guild.
1987 - Formed Green Island pottery "Greensleeves" Featured in Southern TV programme Country Ways.
1988 - Moved to Portland
1991 - Published article in Real Pottery Vol 15 No 57 "Salt Glazing on Green Island"
1992 - Set up Mermaid Studios at Wakeham working in terracotta.
1993 - Preview of exhibition ‘Poole Studio Ware of 1960's at the New Century Galley Kensington Church Street London.
1995 - Lecture to Poole Pottery Collectors Club.
1996 - Exhibition of Joan, Russel, Guy Sydenham and Leslie Collington's ceramics at the Poole Museum's Galley.
1998 - Exhibition ‘The Green Island Potters' at the Atrium Galley, University of Bournmouth.: Guy Sydenham, Terry Davies and Matt Hew Davies.
1999 - Publication of A Potters Life: The Island Potters of Poole.
2002 - Started the production of a second book to be entitled A Potters Life: Portland Rokko Art 2000.

freeform organic shape in terracotta,carved and applied decoration,8 inches tall

saltglazed miniatures,Guy didn't like waste so he filled the kiln spaces with these

large Rokko art vessel produced by Guy in 1994

three miniature vases

small vessel,probably for drinking liquors?
Salt glazed and stamped with the early Long Island shield+monogram
(1960-1968) and mallard's feet

these wall plaques were made recently by John Benningfield using two moulds given to him by Guy.
Great job John

Thanks to the ebay seller who donated these great pics showing Guy's superb decorative skills

decorated using trailed slip

I have owned this for years but never known what it is for?

dantheman wrote:I have owned this for years but never known what it is for?

Looks to me like some form of saucer.

What size it is?

8 inch with a 4 inch centre

I'd think a saucer/stand to something like a tureen.

stamped with Gs Guy Sydenham Green Island ,Quay pottery, Corfe Castle and duck's feet stamps

http://www.pooleimages.co.uk/Pages/GuySydenham.aspx

Excellent information on the pooleimages link - many thanks for posting it Dan.

Believe it or not I was about to ask if there was any information available about Mr. S.

I guarantee you would love Guy's books,the pottery images are fantastic and the story of his life is gripping,it would make a wonderful film

Just uploading a couple of pics for (Poole Pottery) Sue as she still hasn't sussed out how to upload them yet. I did give her an extended instruction course on how to do it but no luck as yet. Hopefully she will have more success in the coming days.

I will upload the images for her and I'm sure she will give any extra information on the pieces where necessary.

The first pic is a rather splendid Guy Sydenham octopus. The rest I will put in the Poole Pottery thread.

Hope you enjoy. We purchased without knowing it's title but so much work involved. Fantastic piece