Thirty spokes are united around the hub of a wheel, but the usefulness of the wheel depends on the space where nothing exists. Clay is moulded into a vessel, but the usefulness of the vessel depends on the space where nothing exists. Doors and windows are cut out of the walls of a house, and the usefulness of the house depends on the space where nothing exists. Therefore, take advantage of what exists, and use what does not exist.
Tao Te Ching. Lao Tzu
About John West
I feel that my work is the synthesis of many influences; Asian, European and African pottery and that I can be as enthusiastic about a piece of medieval English slipware as I am about a modern sculpture. What is important is the way in which the making, decoration and firing combine in order to create harmony.