About
1952 Born: Hartlepool
Education
1971 – 74 Diploma Art and Design, North Staffordshire Polytechnic
1974 – 75 National Museum and Art Gallery, Gaberones, Botswana
1975 – 83 Lived and worked in Denmark
1983 – 85 Worked at Dartington Pottery, Devon
1985 – 89 Set up Workshop at Salisbury- Resident Potter at Salisbury Arts Centre
Selected Exhibitions
2000, ’02, ’06, ’08, ’10, ’12 ’17 Solo Exhibition, Beaux Arts Bath
2001
Christmas Exhibition, Beaux Arts Bath
2000
20th Summer Exhibition, Beaux Arts Bath
1999
Ceramicists of Fame and Promise, Beaux Arts Bath
1998
Summer Exhibition, Beaux Arts Bath
1987
Art and Furniture Exhibition – Frome, Somerset
Raku-fired Ceramics Exhibition – Higher Street Gallery, Dartmouth, Devon
1986
Raku Fired Ceramics Exhibition – Salisbury Arts Centre
Summer Exhibition , Beaux Arts Bath
Other Selected Exhibitions
Simon Drew Gallery – Dartmouth
Montpellier Gallery – Stratford on Avon
Chelsea Craft Fair
Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
Solo Ceramic Exhibtions – BEAUX ARTS – Bath
60 Years of Pottery Exhibition – Cider Press
Gallery, Dartington
Rob has created a distinctive style of ceramic sculpture- and uses the ancient Raku process firing each art piece outdoors. The crackling of the glazes and vibrant colours of each sculpture is achieved by placing the red hot pots in sawdust, which ignites with the heat, further charring the unglazed areas. Changing humidity and temperature means that even for a sculptor of Whelpton’s experience each sculpture takes on a different and unexpected finish following the Raku process. His sculptures are coloured using slips and metallic salts and Whelpton often enhances his sculptures using gold leaf..