Derek Matthews

We are delighted to introduce the work of Derek Matthews to Sladers Yard this autumn 2025. 

Derek Matthews has been a dedicated potter for approximately 12 years. His passion for the craft was reignited when he attended a course at Farnham Pottery although his interest and initial experience in ceramics began during his foundation studies at Farnham Art School in the late 60s.

A freelance illustrator and character designer for more than forty years, with clients from Tokyo to Toronto, Derek also illustrated a remarkably successful series of pop-up books with worldwide sales in excess of 13 million copies.

Derek now devotes almost his entire creative output to hand-building ceramics from a converted Victorian coach house on the edge of the South Downs National Park. With a nod to the traditions of ancient cultures, inspired by folklore, tribal art, and storytelling, his pottery blends his background in illustration with imagination and a sprinkling of magic.

Each piece is handcrafted using a variety of clays, including wild clay sourced directly from his garden. He avoids the use of glazes, preferring instead to work with oxides. This approach —combined with additional materials within the clay and extensive wax polishing — contribute to a kind of alchemy that lends the finished surfaces a distressed or patinated surface.

Derek’s pottery often invites a sense of playfulness, sparking a dialogue between viewer and artwork. The tribal and folk influences honour the rich histories and traditions of ceramics from diverse cultures. Through his dedication to storytelling, he transforms earthenware into a medium that celebrates heritage, imagination, and the universal human experience, making his pieces not just objects but also conduits of memory and experience. 

Derek Matthews is a Selected Member of the Craft Potters Association. He shows in good galleries around the UK. This is his first exhibition at Sladers Yard. His ceramics have found loving homes in private collections across the UK, Europe and America.