Biography

I was born in Leeds in 1946 and I had my first exhibition of large white reliefs in York in 1970. I then began work as a fine art printmaker in London at the ground breaking Kelpra Studio. I worked there from early 1970 until the mid 80s.

Returning north, I continued to make and exhibit prints; followed by a continuous process of re-training. This culminated in a 25 year career as a psychotherapist, spending the last 20 years in an NHS Clinical Psychology Department.

Words

The psychoanalyst Melanie Klein believed that "all art is reparation for the hateful feelings we have for our parents", hence I began to use the word "Reparation" as a start point for the series of "word pieces" under the title "Signs of Life". Some of the Words pieces are of a polemical nature however made of a range of benign materials such as tea, coffee, bird food. The work leads the viewer to notice, to read and to absorb questions that are often avoided. It ensures that, like the work of a psychotherapist, some things cannot be ignored.

Vessels

In the early 21st century my work took a new direction leading to an exhibition in Edinburgh in 2004 of reliefs based on an attempt to portray good internal objects. As a result, there was a shift to creating wall hung vessel-like pieces. The next step was a growing urge to experience and learn about ceramics. I enrolled in classes at the studio of ceramic artist James Oughtibridge in Holmfirth. Over the years I have developed a way of working that has been a springboard for my current ceramic work.

Unglazed, focusing on the surface of the clay, the work is more of a psychological nature than for practical purposes, perhaps representing containers for the different parts of ourselves.

Contact – rogerbrophy46@gmail.com