Alex McErlain  

Senior Lecturer - Three Dimensional Design

Telephone : 0161 247 1003
Email : a.mcerlain@mmu.ac.uk

Office : Chatham Building / Room 102

Alex McErlain studied ceramics at Stoke on Trent college of art (now Staffordshire University) graduating in 1972. He studied with Ray Finch at Winchcombe Pottery from 1972 – 75, a seminal period during which he developed professional pottery skills and established contact with many of the leading figures in the world of studio pottery. Alex was appointed as a lecturer at MMU in 1976 to teach ceramics.
He has continued to practice as a studio potter and has exhibited widely. Examples of his work may be found in public collections including the Ismay collection at Yorkshire Museum; Bolton Museum and Art Gallery; The Special Collections at Manchester Metropolitan University, Rufford Craft Centre, Nottingham; Swindon Museum and art gallery; Drumcroon Educational Arts Centre Wigan. His book The Art of Throwing was published by the Crowood Press in 2002.In 2007 he began a series of making collaborations with other artists including: Bethan Lloyd Worthington,Alice Kettle, Sharon Blakey and Helen Felcey.This collaborative work is on going.
Alex has a long standing interest in curating exhibitions mainly about studio ceramics. Notable shows he has curated include:'Firing Thoughts, exploring the relationship of Drawing to Ceramics', touring in 2007;'Magnificent Pitchers, English Medieval jugs and their influence on studio pottery'2006;‘Felicity Aylieff, Sense and Perception’ which toured in 2002-3 ‘Jim Malone, Artist Potter’ which toured in 1997-8. From 2005 - 2007 he collaborated with curatorial staff at Manchester Art Gallery on a series of 21st century showcase exhibitions featuring work by contemporary makers including Claire Curneen,Junko Mori, Suresh Dutt, Matthew Blakely and Chien - Wei Chang.He is currently working with staff at York Art Gallery on a series of small exhibitions the first of which was titled 'Spotlight on Slipware'which was staged in 2008
Alex is a regular contributor to Ceramic Review and other notable journals writing about a broad range of issues from architectural terracotta to contemporary studio practice.
Alex has an interest in filming the work of makers as a means of communicating their practice. He has directed films of the potters Patrick Sargent, Jim Malone, Felicity Aylieff,Claire Curneen, Sharon Blakey, Susan Halls,Kyra Cane and Victoria Eden. He has also worked on a film of the Japanese metalworker Junko Mori and a film about the textile artists Alice Kettle.
Alex has had films selected and screened at the 5th and the 6th international film festivals for ceramics and glass, held in Montpelier France.

In 2005 Alex began collaborating with a materials scientist, Professor Robert Freer of the University of Manchester. Together they were awarded a substantial grant from the EPSRC (Engineering & Physical Science Research Council) to establish a research network from 2005 - 2007, bringing together scientists and artists from the field of ceramics and glass.
Alex has been an active member of the National Association for Ceramics in Higher Education (NACHE) for many years. He served as chair of the association and has, with others, organized exhibitions, conferences and seminars as well as chairing various sub groups.
He is an external examiner for ceramics and has been an external representative on degree course validation panels.