A few years back Mike Knowles had a stroke which led to problems of maintaining his physical equilibrium. As he explains, “Now it is beyond my capability to centre a ball of clay on the wheel, whereas in the past I could throw large vessels. However I’ve not given up and clay has become an integral part of my healing process. As I breathe life into a vessel it in turn breathes life back into me. Strangely, feeling new things happening has helped me come to grips with my mortality, perhaps even my immortality.”

During the 20 years Mike worked in India, building a furniture business he learnt that it was initially virtually impossible to make things perfectly. This led to him embracing in his designs the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi. “When your can’t get perfection, the fact that there is beauty in imperfection is comforting.’ The same applied to his ability as a potter after his stroke. ‘I have now moved into new realms of making, using rolled clay. I fold it or form it over all sorts of objects which I use as moulds. Using my hands to sculpt a bowl, or breathe life into a mask is so satisfying. Terracotta is my chosen medium.When I’m finishing pieces traditionally by oiling and waxing , or applying gold or copper leaf to create contrast, I will always finish with my bare hands.

My career goal was to teach creative arts to differently abled youngsters. This was always on my mind when I set about creating ideas. Of course there was always the need to produce some very fine work, but that was secondary. In India I worked along side local potters, Kumhars , and encouraged them to realise just what wonderful vessels they could make whilst holding dear traditional methods of making. This applied especially well to the forming of the ubiquitous pot of India, the Matka.

I make a lot of masks. I find the process of forming a face, the moulding of a character, rewarding. I also love the soft nature of gently folded terracotta’.

Ceramics has always been a magical mystery tour for Mike which keeps him creating. “For my entrance interview to the Wimbledon college, Southlands, I threw a very good shaped large bowl for my final portfolio project. Stupidly I realised too late that I had mixed Tenmoku and London White glaze together for the inside finish. There was no time to change anything before the deadline, so I went ahead and fired it. It came out better than I could have expected. Firing teaches you never to expect the obvious and indeed revel in the unforeseen.

As I continue to improve health wise, there is hope I will get back to creating finer pieces, however what I have learnt through having the stroke is working with a material you love and continuing  to push back the boundaries, is a healing experience, both physically and mentally.’,