“My inspiration mostly comes from the Far East, Japan, Korea and China. I especially love the Hagi, Shino and Celadon glazes. One of my pots could have up to 20 layers of glaze and be fired a minimum of 5 times.”  His use of thick glazes almost changes the piece from clay into glass, and it is this technique which makes his pieces unique. 

“Working with clay has opened up a whole new world for me – the possibilities are endless – and I love to give my imagination free reign. Every hour spent in my studio teaches me something – about clay, about life and of course, patience. I love this process,” says Mervyn.

“I forget about time and the stressors of the outside world, and can concentrate on the here and now - on what I’m busy with. It gives me an immense sense of freedom – and it’s on my own terms.” 

Mervyn works on individual pieces for private collections and commissions. He has started experimenting with colour glazes as most of his current pieces are produced in a monochrome pallet using black, grey, white and cream. As he comments: “It’s all about what’s on the surface.”

Mervyn’s work is available at Okha in Cape Town and you can also visit his website for more information - www.mervyngers.com.