'I was born into a world of colour and form. My father was a full-time studio potter and his studio was an alchemist's laboratory to me; where dusty sacks of clay powder were dragged in and turned into beautiful treasures.’

Born in 1959, Josse is son of the famous ceramist and painter Derek Davis and  Ruth Davis. Since graduating in 1981 from Bath Academy of Art with a BA Honours in Ceramics, Josse has worked in his home town of Arundel on the South Coast of England. He is widely exhibited in the UK and internationally. 

 A few words on from Josse on his 2018 work…

My work this year is to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dog.

Dogs are a great medium between people, braking barriers of class and shyness.  Stan, my dog has instigated many a conversations with perfect strangers and even initiated a few romances over the years. My sight isn’t as good as it used to be, but I can always recognise a distant figure by their accompanying dog. The daily routine of the dog walk is one of Englands most established customs; come rain or shine we average a 1,000 miles per year. Two half hour walks a day, in my case, that’s a whole hour a day, out in the country.  The dog walk is just as beneficial to me as the dog, making me feel happier, healthier and more relaxed. 

We all have our regular routes; I live in Arundel and have walks that take me beside the river and the kingfishers, and busier walks alongside the castle moat, my local equivalent of the promenade, where dozens of locals stroll daily with their dogs, beneath a beautiful avenue of Lime trees. Trees that change continually and keep me constantly aware of the passing seasons. I also have Arundel Park, where we go for a chance meeting of other dogs and the opportunity for them to run and play off their leads. Finally there is the beach, where we can meet total strangers and that gamble of their unpredictable dog. 

Dogs are such a natural companion to man, it simply makes my blood boil when I think of anybody mistreating them. My last two have both been from the dog sanctuary, and both were badly mistreated, yet prepared to forgive and trust again.  We are not worthy of their loyalty.

Born under the Chinese Year of the Dog, I feel rather honoured, and hope that I might have been blessed with a little of their special traits.

I love them, especially the way they have their strange pecking order, rather equivalent to the stone, paper, scissors.