Saundersfoot ceramic artist Richard Prentice has been selected for two exhibitions, winning the prize for best Wales submission in one of them.

Richard’s work is abstractly inspired by his coastal surroundings. He became a studio potter and ceramic artist at the age of 50, nine years ago, setting up a small studio and gallery in the Pembrokeshire harbour village.

Having sold his successful gallery in October 2024, Richard is focussing on selling via his online gallery, through shows and in 2025 galleries across the UK. Richard’s work consists of three collections: A Study of Coal which is inspired by the local mining history; fine bone china and earthenware globes with abstract glazing designs influenced by the coastal setting of his studio; and Under the Sea, consisting of large sculptural work concerned with global warming, rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

The latter body of work, including the hand-thrown Anthropogenic Lidded Vase and the towering Anthropogenic Vase, features biophillic designs encrusted with coastal flora, crustaceans and cascading rock formations. In part the process examines how his work might physically be transformed if lost to the ocean bed for many years.

Anthropogenic Lidded Vase
This hand-thrown sculpted Anthropogenic Lidded Vase with handcrafted embellishments of shells, costal flora and woven rope is finished in fascinating tones of blues and grey enhanced with oxide reactions. (Richard Prentice)

Prentice won the Wales Award at the ING Discerning Eye exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London. The Pembrokeshire based ceramic artist was also selected for the inaugural Cass Art Prize Exhibition.

Featuring 685 works selected from over 6,000 submissions to a UK-wide competition, the ING Discerning Eye 2024 is curated by six respected selectors, including curator Will Gompertz, artist Adebanji Alade, and interior designer Gabrielle Blackman. Artworks span across print, sculpture, painting, video, photography and more, offering a showcase of diverse UK talent.

Cass Art Prize opened its inaugural exhibition with 45 pieces of work selected from thousands of artists around the UK and exhibited at the Copeland Gallery between the November 8 and 16.

“These exhibitions were selected from thousands of artists across the UK sifted by a panel of art critics, collectors and industry professionals, so to have a representative from Pembrokeshire is pretty special,” said Prentice.