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David Lilford

David Lilford’s lifelong passion for art is clear to anyone who has ever met him or visited his gallery in Canterbury. It was while hosting the ‘Canterbury Throwdown’ alongside his close friend and mentor, Cherry Tewfik, that he first fell in love with clay – a moment that saw him move from behind the gallery desk to the potter’s wheel.

What began as a weekly escape from the pressures of business has since developed into a true passion.  The arrival of a second rescue dog led David to convert his garden shed into a dedicated studio, and he now spends the majority of his spare time at the wheel.

His practice spans a wide range of functional ware, from elegant bud vases to full dinner services. Recently, David has expanded into the ancient, elemental art of Raku firing, exploring the dramatic and unpredictable finishes created by fire and smoke.

For David, pottery is a meditative pursuit: ‘I throw pots because it calms me – the only way you can work with clay is to think only about the clay. It enables me to clear my mind and lose myself in the process.’