Paul Cardew: Biography

Paul Cardew as born in Plymouth in August 1947. Whilst he could claim a distant relationship with renowned British potter Michael Cardew, he insists his granny should take the credit for encouraging him to apply to study at Plymouth College of Art and Design, where he first got clay under his fingertips.

Following this, he want on to Loughborough to take a course in Ceramics and Fine Art, where he achieved an honours degree.

His first career step took him to become Head of Ceramics at Exeter Art College, where he built on his talent and reputation for mould breaking ceramic design being exhibited at the "V. & A." as well as other museum and galleries around the world.

It was his wife Karen who turned his head towards both teapots and the commercial world, having herself designed a very successful range of ceramic brooches, which featured in some instances teapot shapes.

With a gleam in his eye, he struck out in 1975 to cause a "storm in a teapot" with Sunshine Ceramics working with his wife and initially partners Hilary and Dave Walters.

Over the next few years, Paul established himself at the forefront of a resurgence of interest in the art form of the "Eccentric Teapot". Some of his best-known designs of the period being produced in conjunction with the "Tea Council". Later, "Sunshine Ceramics" transformed into "South West Ceramics", which Paul departed from in 1991 to re-start afresh as "Cardew Design".

He was joined in this enterprise (along with his long suffering wife!) by his old friend Peter Kirvan and together they sought to really put collectable teapots on the map worldwide.

Riding on the back of many "Cardew" teapot design innovations (e.g. miniature ceramic accessories adorning the designs, elaborate ceramic decals, one-cup designs, Tiny Teapots) the Cardew brand became established as the most widely collected teapot range in the world. The company also established design partnerships with the likes of Disney, Portmeirion Potteries and Royal Doulton.

In 2004, "Cardew Design Ltd." ceased trading and was re-established as "Crafts At Cardew" with Paul Cardew and Peter Kirvan still at the helm. This new company still based at Bovey Tracey, Devon has to a large degree re-directed its activities towards the developments of bisque ware (pre-fired pottery) designs targeted at the ceramic hobbyist. To this end, a significant part of the Cardew Pottery has been developed as a Visitor Centre where anyone can try their hand at a variety of Pottery Crafts.

Meanwhilst Paul Cardew is continuing to develop a very special series of very limited "limited editions" teapots, which will be available exclusively through www.CardewClub.com.

He continues to respond to the age old question as to which is his favourite teapot design by saying "The next one!"