John Leach (studio potter)

{{Short description|British ceramics artisan (1939–2021)}}{{Infobox artist

| name = John Leach

| birth_date = 1939

| death_date = 29 August 2021

| nationality = British

| known_for = Pottery

| resting_place = Higher Ground Meadow, Corscombe

| website = https://www.johnleachpottery.co.uk/

}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

John Leach was a studio potter, the eldest son of David Leach and the eldest grandson of Bernard Leach. Born in St Ives in 1939, he studied under his grandfather and father at St Ives and under Ray Finch at Winchcombe.{{Cite web |url=http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=197 |title=John Leach |website=www.studiopottery.com |access-date=2019-04-26}}

Leach left school in 1957 and worked with his father at Lowerdown Pottery Bovey Tracey, Devon and from 1961 to 1962 he was an apprentice at the Leach Pottery St Ives.{{Cite book |last=Watson |first=Oliver |title=Studio pottery |publisher=Phaidon |year=1993 |isbn=071482948X |pages=211}}

File:John Leach Pottery - geograph.org.uk - 3365255.jpg

He founded Muchelney Pottery on the Somerset Levels{{Cite web |last=Colwill |first=Jack |date=2021-08-31 |title=Famed Somerset potter John Leach dies |url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/john-leach-famed-somerset-potter-5851456 |access-date=2021-12-06 |website=SomersetLive |language=en}} in 1964, and developed a range of pottery using local clay and wood to fuel the kiln.{{Cite web |title=Renowned potter to stage exhibition at Cornish birthplace |url=https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/19524683.john-leach-pottery-cornwall-exhibition-st-ives/ |access-date=2021-12-06 |website=Falmouth Packet |language=en}}

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London holds a collection of his work{{Cite web |last=Museum |first=Victoria and Albert |title=Casserole | url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O19497/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |language=en}} and also the Worcester Art Museum USA.{{Cite web |title=John Leach – People – Worcester Art Museum |url=https://worcester.emuseum.com/people/7365/john-leach;jsessionid=CACE7BCF2E76C9A9BA983EBEEEAE5B2F |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=worcester.emuseum.com |language=en}} His work is also in the permanent collections of the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Ulster Museum, Belfast, the Tate St Ives and the National Museum of Wales.{{Cite web |title=JOHN LEACH|url=http://www.curwengallery.com/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=www.curwengallery.com |language=en}}

He died 29 August 2021. His funeral was held on 1 October 2021 at Higher Ground Meadow near Corscombe.{{Cite web |title=John Leach 1939 - 2021 |url=https://www.johnleachpottery.co.uk/events-and-news/john-leach-b56.html |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=www.johnleachpottery.co.uk}}