Geoffrey Eastop: ‘The character of the mark describes the object’

Geoffrey Eastop – his creative legacy. Studio international visited Ecchinswell in Hampshire – to view Geoffrey Eastop’s Open Studio. We had arranged to interview Eastop, but very sadly he died at the age of 93, on Christmas Day 2014, some days before we were due to meet and only three months after the death of his wife, Pat

In this, the first of three documentaries to commemorate Eastop’s work, his sons Ben and Tim present an overview of their father’s practice titled The possibilities of Clay.

Extracts are included from the 2009 Open Studio event when Geoffrey Eastop talked about the ideas, studios and inspirations that directed his work after he graduated from Goldsmiths College in 1952, including his work at Aldermaston Pottery with Alan Caiger-Smith and, significantly, the work he did at Fawley Bottom Pottery with the painter John Piper. We also see how Eastop’s creative legacy has been passed to his son Ben and his grandsons Oliver and Luke.

In part 2 of this documentary, Ben and his son Luke talk about the work they did together in Geoffrey’s studio. In part 3, Geoffrey’s four children remember their parents and discuss the impact their creative influence has had on their lives.

Part 1: Geoffrey Eastop – his creative legacy

Part 2: Geoffrey Eastop – studio intervention

Part 3: Geoffrey Eastop – his creative influence

Interview and film by MK Palomar