Helen Willis (b. 1945)

Potter and member of the Midlands Potters Association.

After training at Loughborough College of Art in the 1960s, Helen gained her teaching certificate (PGCE) from Bristol University and completed 27 years of teaching until retirement in 2005.

Her work is inspired by organic shapes and surfaces from the British garden particularly around her studio.  She looks for detail and strength in the shapes and curves and their expression of growth and the power of this, as well as an interest in colour and textural patterns which are formed during wood firing.

Her pots tend to be coiled although thrown as a initial plan and then hand built, she particularly likes to combine texture with smooth surfaces in her work.

Hene prefers to fire using Raku with wood in a Raku kiln although likes to fire in a pit when the opportunity arises.

The sculptural forms are usually named individually based on the organic form it has been derived from.