I formed Westcote Bell Pottery along with my artist wife Jacqueline M. Cohen in 1984.  We were living in a small village in England.  We then moved to Mansfield, Ohio, followed by a move to Columbus, Ohio, and finally to upstate New York.  Nestled on the edge of the Catskills just 90 miles north of Manhattan.  Waterfalls, apple orchards, hiking, climbing, scenic vistas and quaint villages make for a charming environment which influences the unique body of work created by us.

The materials include both red and white clay, earthenware for traditional landscapes and porcelain for the more contemporary work.  The decorative process involves layering up to 4 additional layers of colored clay.  Shapes are masked out with paper as new layers are applied.  The paper is cut out by hand with a scroll saw of knife, each piece of paper can only be used once.  Details are painted and carved by hand making each piece individual.

The forms are thrown on a wheel and sculptural elements are slab built onto the thrown forms.  My subject matter has always been my environment at home and in the landscape.  Animals feature in all of the pieces.

I trained as a sculptor/printmaker and that background is still at work in the pieces today.  The form and texture of clay along with the function connect the craftsman and collector in an intimate relationship that involves the basic activities of eating and drinking.

Our studio is open to the public allowing for the customer to experience the process and see the pieces being created.

See Jacqueline's current work at www.jacquelinemcohen.com