Richard Ballantyne & Carol Read

Richard studied at Bradford College of Art, where he trained as an Interior Designer.

After a spell spent working for Samuel Smiths Brewery in Tadcaster, he returned to university at Bretton Hall to retrain as a teacher. From there, he went into teaching in secondary schools - first Yorkshire then Northamptonshire.

At his first teaching placement he was put in charge of a ceramics department and so began attending evening classes to keep one step ahead of the children. This was the beginning of a lifetime love affair with the material.

In 2003 he left full time teaching and returned to university to complete a degree in glass and ceramics at Buckinghamshire University. He is now making a living as a ceramic artist and does a little lecturing at Bucks New University in High Wycombe and Thames Valley University.

Carol trained as a nurse after an education in England, the USA and Germany. Her interest in clay started at an Access to Art and Design course and developed into love of making both on the wheel and hand building.

Carol and Richard began a working partnership around 2010. The resulting ceramic art is a fusion of both their skills. They contribute to each other’s work and create new work together.