Maria Stewart
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Maria Stewart was born in Coventry, UK in 1940 and was educated at Stoke Park Grammar School. On leaving school she went into banking before leaving, as was compulsory in those days, to start a family. Throughout this period, she undertook part-time studies in painting, textiles, embroidery, and weaving, eventually teaching in some of these disciplines.
In 1976 she began studying at Coventry (Lanchester) Polytechnic (now Coventry University) where as a result of experimenting with different media she changed direction and discipline and specialised in ceramics with a background influence from textiles under the tutelage of Pat Shenstone and Pete Beardsmore.
Maria set up her purpose-built studio and adjoining kiln room in November 1980 overlooking a walled Victorian garden which provided much of the inspiration for her work. The changing seasons, natural growth and decay are the influence for the form and decoration and palette of her work.
Her forms are pinched David Leach porcelain, some pieces are pierced at the leather hard stage and then fired to 1270 degrees to vitrify. The decoration is Hanovia lustre applied with a brush to give a ground with further colours then overlaid using a variety of marks and incorporating a resist technique, to build up depth and tone, and fired to 750 degrees.
Maria has exhibited alongside the first rank of British potters, both nationally and internationally and her work is held in many important public and private collections worldwide, including the V&A and Crafts Council.
Exhibitions include:
1982 Centre Crafts, Coventry, Museum of Modern Ceramics, Diedsheim, Germany, Invitation of Henri Rothschild, Kiel University, Germany.
1983 Ceramics ’83, Rufford Craft Centre, Nottingham, UK.
1984 English Gallery, Geisenheim, Germany, Beaux Arts, Bath, UK, Henry Rothschilds Choice, Zenith Gallery, Nottingham, UK.
1985 Ausstellung, Rudesheim, Germany, Ceramics, The Medici Galleries, London, European Ceramics and Wall Textures, Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, Bohun Gallery, Small Paintings, Small Pots, Henley on Thames, UK Westminster Gallery, Boston, USA.
1986 Teapots, Beaux Arts, Bath, UK, International Contemporary Arts, Olympia, London.
1987 Martha Schneider Gallery, Chicago, USA
1989 Galerie L, Hamburg, Germany, Ladygate Gallery, Beverley, UK
1991 Porzellane, Schloss Reinbeck, Hamburg, Germany, Example Art, London, Galerie L, Hamburg, Germany.
1993 International Fair, St Etienne, France, Centre Crafts, Coventry,UK, Bohun Gallery, Small Paintings, Small Pots, Henley on Thames, UK.
1995 Hugo Barclay Summer Exhibition, Brighton, UK.
1998 Takashimaya, Osaka, Japan.
2000 Keramion, Köln, Germany.
2001 Candover Gallery, A celebration of the bowl, Winchester, UK.