John Clappison
Encyclopedia
William John Clappison (born 27 June 1937, Hull
, England
) is an English
Ceramic
and Glass
designer
When the family moved to Hornsea
and John’s father started to support Hornsea Pottery
, the founders of the Pottery, Colin and Desmond Rawson, saw great potential in John Clappison. He designed pieces such as Elegance and Tricorn for Hornsea Pottery whilst attending the Hull College of Arts and Crafts. The Pottery then sponsored his year at the Royal College of Art
in London where he specialised in Industrial Design and Ceramics. After gaining the Faculty of Design Certificate in Ceramics at the Royal College of Art, John was appointed as Hornsea Pottery
’s Chief Designer in 1958. A studio was specially built on the Pottery site and when this was fully instituted, John refined and originated a whole range of designs for tablewares, novelties and gift wares.
Amongst his many designs for Hornsea Pottery
was his ‘Home Decor‘ range, which are "highly reminiscent of the most advanced work in Studio Ceramics" (Dr. Graham McLaren in his 1997 book Ceramics of the 1950s). Several innovative items of tableware and decorative pieces were produced, reflecting contemporary designs, the 1950s hand-decorated Slipware, 1960s Studio vases, 1970s Muramics and mugs and 1980s People Figures are all enthusiastically collected.
As well as his work for Hornsea Pottery, John also designed for Ravenhead glass
, Royal Doulton
, Coryfo ceramics and the Upsala Ekeby group.
Selected quotes about his work are:
Lesley Jackson
; “Designs by John Clappison such as ‘Home Decor, Studiocraft and Lattice were in a completely new idiom….they presaged trends which would be consolidated during the early 1960’s" (Lesley Jackson, The New Look - Design in the Fifties (Thames and Hudson 1991) ).
Alan Peat; "Hornsea Pottery……was set on its feet by ranges of cheap ware which were not contemporary in style, and it was only at the end of the 1950’s, following the appointment of William John Clappison as chief designer in 1958 that Hornsea became a major force in modern design" (Alan Peat, Austerity to Affluence, British Art and Design) - (Merrell Holberton, 1997)
Wayne Hemingway "Today, as design becomes increasingly concerned with competitiveness and quality of life, innovation must again facilitate a creative response to change. John Clappison’s team at Hornsea in the 1960’s churned out winning designs year on year, developing and colluding craft techniques, to a classic standard with a trend awareness and clear passion for the market". Wayne Hemingway at the 2002 Ceramic Forum, as reported by Marcus Holmes for the Ceramic Review, June 2002).
A biography on John Clappison was published in April 2007. This official biography brings into focus the scope and variety of John’s work with his full knowledge and co-operation.
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
and Glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
When the family moved to Hornsea
Hornsea
Hornsea is a small seaside resort, town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England at the eastern end of the Trans Pennine Trail.-Overview:According to the 2001 UK Census, Hornsea parish had a population of 8,243....
and John’s father started to support Hornsea Pottery
Hornsea Pottery
Hornsea Pottery was a business located in the seaside town of Hornsea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.-Overview:The pottery was founded in 1949 in a small terraced house by brothers Colin and Desmond Rawson with initial funding from a friend and local business man, Philip Clappison...
, the founders of the Pottery, Colin and Desmond Rawson, saw great potential in John Clappison. He designed pieces such as Elegance and Tricorn for Hornsea Pottery whilst attending the Hull College of Arts and Crafts. The Pottery then sponsored his year at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London where he specialised in Industrial Design and Ceramics. After gaining the Faculty of Design Certificate in Ceramics at the Royal College of Art, John was appointed as Hornsea Pottery
Hornsea Pottery
Hornsea Pottery was a business located in the seaside town of Hornsea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.-Overview:The pottery was founded in 1949 in a small terraced house by brothers Colin and Desmond Rawson with initial funding from a friend and local business man, Philip Clappison...
’s Chief Designer in 1958. A studio was specially built on the Pottery site and when this was fully instituted, John refined and originated a whole range of designs for tablewares, novelties and gift wares.
Amongst his many designs for Hornsea Pottery
Hornsea Pottery
Hornsea Pottery was a business located in the seaside town of Hornsea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.-Overview:The pottery was founded in 1949 in a small terraced house by brothers Colin and Desmond Rawson with initial funding from a friend and local business man, Philip Clappison...
was his ‘Home Decor‘ range, which are "highly reminiscent of the most advanced work in Studio Ceramics" (Dr. Graham McLaren in his 1997 book Ceramics of the 1950s). Several innovative items of tableware and decorative pieces were produced, reflecting contemporary designs, the 1950s hand-decorated Slipware, 1960s Studio vases, 1970s Muramics and mugs and 1980s People Figures are all enthusiastically collected.
As well as his work for Hornsea Pottery, John also designed for Ravenhead glass
Ravenhead glass
Ravenhead Glass was a glassworks near Ravenhead Colliery, Lancashire, North West England. It was founded in 1850 by Frances Dixon and John Merson after a move from their earlier factory at Thatto Heath near St Helens...
, Royal Doulton
Royal Doulton
The Royal Doulton Company is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton...
, Coryfo ceramics and the Upsala Ekeby group.
Selected quotes about his work are:
Lesley Jackson
Lesley Jackson
Lesley Jackson is a London-based design curator, historian and author specialising in twentieth century design. She has published at least eleven books to date, include Twentieth Century Pattern Design from Princeton Architectural Press , The Sixties: Decade of Design Revolution from Phaidon, The...
; “Designs by John Clappison such as ‘Home Decor, Studiocraft and Lattice were in a completely new idiom….they presaged trends which would be consolidated during the early 1960’s" (Lesley Jackson, The New Look - Design in the Fifties (Thames and Hudson 1991) ).
Alan Peat; "Hornsea Pottery……was set on its feet by ranges of cheap ware which were not contemporary in style, and it was only at the end of the 1950’s, following the appointment of William John Clappison as chief designer in 1958 that Hornsea became a major force in modern design" (Alan Peat, Austerity to Affluence, British Art and Design) - (Merrell Holberton, 1997)
Wayne Hemingway "Today, as design becomes increasingly concerned with competitiveness and quality of life, innovation must again facilitate a creative response to change. John Clappison’s team at Hornsea in the 1960’s churned out winning designs year on year, developing and colluding craft techniques, to a classic standard with a trend awareness and clear passion for the market". Wayne Hemingway at the 2002 Ceramic Forum, as reported by Marcus Holmes for the Ceramic Review, June 2002).
A biography on John Clappison was published in April 2007. This official biography brings into focus the scope and variety of John’s work with his full knowledge and co-operation.