London’s Victoria and Albert Museum opened a unique display entitled Portmeirion: Pottery Trendsetter on Tuesday (October 30). The exhibition explores the life and work of Susan Williams-Ellis (1918-2007), including the iconic and ever-popular Botanic Garden and famous Totem and Magic City patterns. It also demonstrates the company’s evolution from a small Welsh village gift shop to a globally recognised ceramics brand and worldwide exporter.
The display includes Susan’s first ever creations – the luxurious Malachite and Moss Agate pattern – which helped to bring Portmeirion to the fore, while Botanic Garden, (launched in 1972) takes centre stage. At the time, critics thought the botanical design was too different to be successful!
Portmeirion Group creative director Julian Teed, who worked alongside Susan for many years, comments: “Susan would be so proud! Having her designs on display for everyone to see is just incredible. Susan was an exquisite artist and for her work to be marked in such a way is testament to the impact and contribution she made to British design style and the pottery industry as a whole.”
Julian continues: “Over the years, pottery trends have changed and as you tour the Portmeirion display you can see just how instrumental Susan was in ensuring Portmeirion was at the forefront of that change. She was a visionary and a woman ahead of her time, and most importantly she knew what would sell.”
Judith Crouch, of the V&A’s Ceramics and Glass Section, who curated the display, adds: “Portmeirion is a British success story. Susan created ground-breaking ceramic designs over a period of more than forty years, and her legacy continues to this day”.
Members of Susan’s family joined key members of the Portmeirion team and members of the press to celebrate the opening of the V&A display. This year marks the centenary of Susan’s birth.
The display will be at the V&A until July 28 2019.
Top: The late Susan Ellis-Williams of Portmeirion working on pieces of Botanic Garden.
