The Joanna Bird Foundation felt it was imperative to make a film about Richard Batterham – the last of Bernard Leach’s practicing apprentices. Richard is a great example of how one man with due talent, diligence and discipline can achieve a remarkable and successful life time’s work making pots which truly enhance life.
Richard Batterham is an iconic figure though he himself is a modest man who has never sought fame or favour, but found his life making pots fascinating and utterly satisfying. He has built up a very successful business on his own selling his work all over the world.
Rejecting the notions of haste and commercialism that he feels are all too present in modern society he works with tide-like regularity preparing his own clay and glazes from the apple trees in his garden. Batterham cannot accept society’s pressure which dictates “items that you must have in your home to show everyone that you are in fashion”, fed to us in colour supplements and glossy magazines. His work is based around his philosophy and the resulting pieces are not only beautiful to behold and satisfying to use but imbued with deep integrity. Tanya Harrod has said of his work, “These pots are for us – ordinary people – not for museums.” This holds true, his notable fan club love and use his pots daily and Museums have also found his work irresistible, the V&A amongst many others have acquired his work
The film features Sir David Attenborough and Nigel Slater, both of whom endorse the quintessential philosophy behind Richard Batterham’s pottery, through which our daily lives are enriched.
The Joanna Bird Foundation
Producer and Interviewer: Joanna Bird
Director and Filmmaker: Alex J. Wright
