Karl Owen Welsh, b. 1971
Karl Owen is a ceramist living and working from Falmouth, Cornwall, born in Wales, UK He has studied Ceramics at Falmouth Art School and Three-Dimensional Design Ceramics, West Surrey College of Art and Design
His work revolves around the idea of beauty and simple aesthetic forms. The wild landscapes of both Cornwall and Wales play a large role in the inspiration for both the design and decoration of his work.
Karl endeavours to create one-off surfaces by capitalising on the unique characteristics of the plants and other organic materials that he collects.
The vessels are made in Stoneware or a semi porcelain clay and are then highly burnished, to encourage the fuming process and to capture the delicate qualities of the materials used in the firing process.
“The Welsh series, explores my childhood memories. Returning to areas in South Wales where I grew up and where my father worked as a miner. I began my journey in July, enabling me to gather a substantial amount of organic and manmade materials from the grounds where I lived and played.
The landscape was very different in the early 70s. Heavily mined and heavily scarred over many years of extracting coal from the ground. The trees on the mountains were removed and used for supports in the tunnels underground. Large slag heaps grew, where the mine waste was stored above ground. Punctuating the landscape where we played as children. This was the result of generations of heavy industry in the Rhondda Valley. My earliest memories of these areas are strangely in black and white.
On my return forty-five years later, things are so very different. The landscape has healed, nature has re-greened and the scars have softened. It took me slightly by surprise. I visited the nursery I attended, long reclaimed by nature and the house I lived in with my family and where I have my earliest memories. I wasn’t expecting this to be such a cathartic experience and I’m looking forward to developing more work over the next few months.
My intention is to make a series of vessels using the foraged materials and the Saggar-firing process. Creating something beautiful from the challenging and less colourful memories of this period of time, beginning with these three pieces.”
Education
1989- 91. Falmouth School of Art & Design HND DESIGN CERAMICS
1993- 95 West Surrey College of Art & Design. BA THREE-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN CERAMICS.
Past Exhibitions
1989- 2020
Tower Bridge, London.
New Designers WSCAD, London
Marble Arch, London
Out of the Blue Gallery, Marizion, Cornwall.
Up And Above Gallery, Falmouth, Cornwall.
Ocean Contemporary, Falmouth, Cornwall.
Block House Gallery, Falmouth, Cornwall.
The Square Gallery, St Mawes, Cornwall.
Horizon Gallery, Land’s End, Cornwall.
Tide lines Gallery, Perranporth, Cornwall
Wolf at The Door Gallery, Penzance, Cornwall.
Rainy day Gallery, Penzance, Cornwall.
HND Finals Smith’s Gallery, London.
Rooster and Rat Gallery, Penzance, Cornwall
Whitegold Exhibition, St Austell. White River Exhibition, St Austell.
Recent Exhibitions
2022- 2024
The Royal Polytechnic, Falmouth.
Mid Cornwall Gallery, St Austell.
Wild Collective, Thrown Contemporary, London.
Galleri Roedhusgaarden Denmark.
London potters, Morley Gallery.
Trelisick Gallery, Feock, Cornwall
Ruup and Form, London Art Fair, London.
Awards/ Articles
Member of the Cornwall Crafts Association 2023
Making Waves Ceramic Trust. Award 2023
Member of the Society of Designer Craftsman 2023
Article on Saggar firing. London potter’s publication. 2024
Private commissioned work.
Various private commissions completed in the UK, US and Europe. Between 2000-2024
Teaching
1990-1999 Visiting teacher/ Lecturer at various schools, public & private. Colleges and
Hatfield university.
Recent Employment
Self employed ceramic artist. 2021- currently
Royal Polytechnic Falmouth 2018- currently.
Pottery Manager.
I run a small pottery and teach pottery classes 4 days a week. As well as doing a range of children’s ceramic workshops and taster days with community groups in and around Falmouth in the summer months.
I’ve been self-employed for three years. Developing a range of work, specialising in Saggar and other types of low firing techniques. Currently working on a range of larger works, based on the post-industrial landscapes of the Rhondda Valley mining community of my childhood. Gathering organic materials, I foraged around the areas I lived as a child.
Dracaena Centre Falmouth.
Sessional Youth support worker March 2018 -2021
Working as a sessional Youth Support Worker. Predominately working with teenagers as well as with other groups within the centre. Ive worked on various projects including many Art based activities. Up to date Enhanced DBS certificate.
LRTT FELLOWSHIP July 1st- August 15th 2017 Kathmandu, Nepal
Mentoring and delivering staff development.
Working with teachers in and around Kathmandu.
Offering CPD to teachers.
Developing good working practices.
Working with the local children on English language skills.
Developing working relationships between staff and other schools in the area.
Looking to improve links between local educational support networks and the schools in the area.
Building confidence with the younger teachers.
Supporting development on a one-to-one basis.
Cornwall College, St Austell 1999-2017.
Glass and Ceramic lecturer.
Course Manager & Tutor
Level 3 National Diploma Art and Design.
Level 2 Art and Design
Foundation Art and Design
ABC Foundation
Access to HE Students.
Head of Department. Art and Design Department. 2015- 2017
