The first comprehensive account of the pioneering ceramic work of Julian Stair

Julian Stair (b. 1955) is one of the UK's leading ceramic artists, with a prolific career spanning five decades. Exploring an extensive range of work in different materials and scales, this book uncovers Stair's role as a key player in the development of studio ceramics. Not only is Stair highly regarded on the global stage, he is also recognised for redefining the field by renewing interest in throwing in the early 1990s, together with Joanna Constantinidis, which enabled younger artists such as Edmund de Waal and Rupert Spira to emerge. Ashley Thorpe's engaging text gives a fascinating insight into Stair's evolution, with the ceramic vessel at its centre. Making, exhibiting, lecturing, and publishing are key to Stair's celebration of how pottery is intrinsic to human existence. Featuring a spectacular range of new works and specially commissioned photography throughout, this beautifully illustrated book reveals the many facets of Stair's groundbreaking career.