You might think the worlds of pottery and 3D printing are poles apart yet for Michael Eden, the same thought processes are hard at work for both. Starting out on an Industrial Design course at Leeds Polytechnic, he spent years working as a potter making functional ceramics for galleries and retailers. It was the desire to create a website for this family-run business that gave rise to his fascination with the creative possibilities of code and a subsequent MPhil at the Royal College of Art.

His website describes his work as “sitting at the intersection of craft, design and art.” Potter’s wheel, pencil or code: all are valid tools and each has its place. Using computers and 3D printers, however, has freed Michael from physical constraints and given him an exciting medium with which to imbue his work with layers of narrative. When you look at a Michael Eden piece, all is not as as it seems: there is a wealth of surprises in all that detail!

His career has taken him from Blackburn, where looking out over roof-tops triggered his love of design, pattern, colour and texture; to Boston where he spent last summer on a residency exploring the possibilities of ceramic 3D printing.
The team at Fluxaxis, Stage One’s sister company, have been lucky enough to work with Michael with their 3D printing service. They brought Michael’s design to life, 3D printing 18 pieces for his exhibition ‘Form and Transform’. Jake Augur, Fluxaxis Production Manager, joins the conversation which took place at Michael’s studio in the South Lakes.

You can listen to the podcast here. Further links can be found in the show notes.