Fred Gwatkin is a practising ceramic artist and full time ceramics practice tutor at Goldsmiths, University of London, specialising in 3D printed and wheel thrown vessel forms.

Fred's ceramic works are characterized by a bold aesthetic that alludes both to organic growth and computational design. Using the familiar form of the vessel, his pieces often aim to reconcile traditional elements of ceramic practice, such as glaze and firing technique, with the modern approach of printing clay. Surface is a key element of his work, with the use of vibrant colour and rich, organic texture to impart a biomorphic quality.

In the process of navigating the technical complexities of printing clay, Fred has become interested in the material's origins, in particular the role clay played in the emergence of first life and how its crystalline structure provided the scaffolding for the first organisms to evolve.

Fred was born in London in 1983 and grew up in the Midlands. He first discovered pottery at school at the age of 13 where he developed a passion for throwing and Raku firing. Later in life, he came back to clay and it was through Goldsmiths' acquisition of a LUTUM clay printer in 2017 that he has explored computational design and new approaches to the practice.

www.fredgwatkin.com
IG: @fredgwatkin