neal french
Mediums Used
Neal French is an Artist, Scholar, Author, Designer, Ceramicist – a man of many parts who has done portraits of such luminaries as Lady Thatcher, Sir Austin Bradford Hill etc. After careers first as ceramic designer and later as lecturer, he is now a full time sculptor. His work is primarily concerned with the standing human figure, simplified and subtly stylised.
His main materials are ceramic or resin, with metal or stone finishes.
Sculptures by neal french
Credentials
Qualifications
1949-53 Mid-Essex Technical College and School of Art, NDD Sculpture under TB Huxley-Jones
1955-58 Royal College of Art, DesRCA 1st Class Honours Ceramics, Sculpture under Arnold Machin,1949-53 Mid-Essex Technical College and School of Art, NDD Sculpture under TB Huxley-Jones
1955-58 Royal College of Art, DesRCA 1st Class Honours Ceramics, Sculpture under Arnold MachinExhibitions
yes
Awards
1960 Winner Design Award&Duke of Edinburgh Prize 1960
1992 Title of Emeritus Professor conferred by Middlesex University
2002 Elected Fellow of Royal British Society of Sculptors (ARBS 2000)
2002 Elected member of Society of Portrait SculptorsPublications
1972 Industrial Ceramics, Tableware
1998 The Potter`s directory of shape and form
2003 The Potter`s Encyclopedia of Color, Form and Decoration,1972 Industrial Ceramics, Tableware
1998 The Potter`s directory of shape and form
2003 The Potter`s Encyclopedia of Color, Form and Decoration
Neal French having originally trained as a sculptor, Neal has continued to produce small scale domestic sculpture and portrait heads, mostly in terracotta, throughout his careers as designer and teacher.
On leaving the Royal College of Art he worked successfully for fifteen years as a designer, modeller and sculptor for Spode and Worcester Royal Porcelain Company Limited. This was followed by twenty years of teaching at Hornsey College of Art/Middlesex University, towards the end of which he began his continuing connection with Rye Pottery as freelance modeller.
He has written and edited various books and articles on ceramic subjects, including "Worcester Blue and White Porcelain 1751 - 1790 for Barrie and Jenkins, and Ceramic Painting for Batsford Complete Potter series.
Since leaving education he has worked as a sculptor, producing press-moulded stoneware figures, portrait heads and life size sculpture in GRP iron/bronze.