Troika Pottery
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Troika was an art pottery operating in Cornwall from 1963 to 1983.
Troika was set up in 1963 by Leslie Illsley, Benny Sirota, and Jan Thomspon, who each put up £1000 to take over the Wells Pottery at Wheal Dream, St. Ives Cornwall, England[1]. They chose the name as it implies three members, and because the sound suggested the sharp angular ceramics they planned to produce.
Leslie and Caroline Illsley and took over the existing Wells pottery underneath St Ives Seamens' Mission in Wheal Dream (not on the seafront). Their brother in law Dr Roland Miller thought of the name Troika after the three potters, the two Illsleys and Benny Serota. Most of the early working capital and guarantees were provided by Caroline's father Sir Douglas Frank QC.
Leslie and Caroline met at Kingston School of Art and they were prize winners in 1959 for a beach sculpture made on West Wittering beach, Sussex. They moved to St Ives in 1961 where Lesley established himself as an artist. Caroline and Lesley continued to experiment and this led to pottery for which Caroline produced the initial Troika designs.
[edit] References
- Carol Cashmore, 1994. Troika Pottery St Ives. ISBN 99912-590-4-X
- George Perrott, 2003. Troika Ceramics of Cornwall. Gemini Publications. ISBN 0-9530637-3-9
