David was born in 1943 in Lancashire, he trained at Flintshire Technical College, Wimbledon School of Art, and Stoke on Trent College of Art, studying under Derek Emms. After meeting and marrying Margaret, a fellow potter, they established their first workshop in 1963 in Denbigh, North Wales.
David’s work descends from the Leach and British Studio Pottery tradition, where the aesthetics and ideologies of the East and West ignited a new tradition of high fired ceramics. He makes large bottles, jars and platters with a base celadon glaze decorated with his personal style of hakeme, rope impress and waxed motifs under heavy reduction overglazes and combined with ashed surfaces.
The Friths continue to develop the tradition through their dedication to creating the finest quality high-fired glazes. They use locally sourced clay including waste by-products from local factories to make domestic reduced stoneware, decorated with wax resist and bold glaze trailed decoration. They have several wood and gas kilns for firings. The fruits of their research and experimentation give their work its own identity.
His work is held in private and public collections, and he has exhibited, and taught both pottery and kiln-building internationally. David is a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association.
Profile photo by Layton Thompson.