Stephen Murfitt | An addiction to working with clay

Stephen Murfitt

Most of my time in the sixth form was spent in the art room, an oasis of humanity within a very strict all-boys school. It was here that I developed my addiction to working with clay. 

Born 1953 in the Cambridgeshire fen village of Little Downham I attended Soham Grammar School. Most of my time in the sixth form was spent in the art room, an oasis of humanity within a very strict all-boys school. It was here that I developed my addiction to working with clay. The Art teacher, Peter Askem encouraged me to apply for the Foundation Course in Art & Design at the Cambridge School of Art. This was an excellent 2-year course which included regular life drawing classes as well as an introduction to many different areas of potential specialism for future degree level study. My first experience of Raku Firing took place here, under the guidance of the pottery teacher, Zoe Ellison.

Stephen Murfitt | Walled bowl with lustred interior

The Farnham experience genuinely changed my life

Zoe advised me to apply to Farnham College of Art (then known as the West Surrey College of Art & Design, and now as the University for the Creative Arts.) This was in the seventies and Farnham then had many inspirational visiting lecturers. The course was run by Henry Hammond and Paul Barron, and was the BA (hons) in three-dimensional design.  I specialised in ceramics with printmaking as a supporting study. The Farnham experience genuinely changed my life, being totally absorbed in an exploration of making, mixing glazes, building and firing kilns. Tutors were influential and inspirational and included Sebastian Blackie, Ron Hackney and Technician Duncan Ross, to name but a few! While on this course I met my future wife, Artist Terry Beard, who was completing her BA (hons) in Textile Design.

Stephen Murfitt | White angular vessel

[I] set about combining teaching Art in various schools and colleges with developing my own work.

After Farnham I went on to complete a post-graduate Art teacher’s certificate at the Middlesex Polytechnic and set about combining teaching Art in various schools and colleges with developing my own work. Having been the ceramics tutor at Marlborough College for ten years we returned to my native fens before moving to 'Old Chapel', Ramsey Heights, to establish our current studio.

We both feel very fortunate to have experienced the rare and life-changing Art education available at Farnham in those days.

For several years now Terry and I have managed to make a living from selling our work as practising artists. We both feel very fortunate to have experienced the rare and life-changing Art education available at Farnham in those days.

Stephen Murfitt