Paul Cardew

Gifts & Dec: How did you come to ceramics design?

Paul Cardew: I originally went to university to become an architect, but soon left that and enrolled in art college. I did my BAS degree at Loughborough University, then took a teaching degree and became a lecturer at Exeter University. Teaching was fun but not financially rewarding, so in 1977, I started Sunshine Ceramics with my wife, Karen, and another couple. We'd go off to London and sell products door-to-door. Sunshine became Southwest Ceramics, which became Cardew Design.

Gifts & Dec: Why the name changes?

PC: I had a falling out with my partner in Southwest, so a few years ago I formed a new company with Peter Kirvan, who I've known for a long time. He had his own advertising business and wanted a change of direction, so we got together and started up Cardew Design.

Gifts & Dec: Did you focus on teapots from the start?

PC: We used to do mugs, ashtrays, frames, and clocks, too. There were some teapots in the range, but it wasn't until the late '80s that we identified a real market niche for teapots.

Gifts & Dec: What were your first teapot designs?

PC: The first was a dented tin can that I just took off the shelf and created a ceramic version with a spout and a handle. Next was a cactus, because I had a fascination with all things Western. It's a funky shape; quite a challenge. We sold it for small beer back then, but the originals go for over $1,000 these days.

Gifts & Dec: What's your design philosophy?

I just bang away at it, and when everyone says that's good enough, I take one extra step. But I want to be a bit more edgy. There are too many 'doe-eyed characters' out there.

Gifts & Dec: Do you plan to expand to other products?

PC: We never purported to be exclusively a teapot company; we're a design company. We'll always have teapots, but we've also widened our product range. We now have giftware, salt and pepper sets. We don't do anything that's not ceramic, but we're contemplating building ceramics with other materials attached.

Gifts & Dec: How did Cardew Design cross the pond?

PC: We wanted to take America by storm, like the Beatles. But that didn't happen. So, about two years ago Guy Williamson and Mike Grafeld, former Royal Doulton employees, started Cardew Design North America. So far, we've done teapots incorporating American licenses like Disney, Popeye, and Betty Boop that seem to be going well. But, like any fledgling company, it takes time, money, and ideas.

Gifts & Dec: Is your wife still involved in the business?

PC: Karen runs the retail side and my daughter runs the U.K. collectors club.

Gifts & Dec: What kinds of things do you do when you're not at your kiln?

PC: Peter and I are keen on running. I find I get a lot of my ideas when I'm running.

Gifts & Dec: How are you celebrating your anniversary?

PC: Besides our Silver Anniversary Celebration Cake teapot, I'm celebrating by reinventing everything we do. We don't need to be the cleverest dinosaur, but we want to keep evolving. We're going to introduce things that are a bit funky, based on the 1950s kitsch space theme. We're doing a range of clocks, and then there are some abstract, spiritual, arty shapes. It's been 25 years! I can't believe I'm that old.