Like Amanda,Tim trained at Manchester Metropolitan University on the BA(hons) Crafts Degree course where he specialised in working with Ceramics and Textiles, giving a broad range of skills that were immediately transferable to teaching adults and children.
Having then worked as Artist in Residence at a school in Saffron Walden for three years, he left to take up the post of Head of Art at a prep School in Salisbury where he remained for 11 years.
His background in crafts ensured that he was able to instill the policy of including as many techniques as possible in a child’s art education.
Tim founded educart, a local arts education discussion forum with which he also set
up artshop - a biennial exhibition of artwork by pupils in the region, held in the
shop windows of Salisbury. Due to it’s success, this is an event he would like to
try to repeat regionally in France!
This then spread further as he then became the
Subject specialist in Art for the IAPS, the governing body for most of the Prep schools
in the UK. This was a role that ran alongside his teaching and entailed training
other teachers to further their teaching of new skills, as well as acting as a consultant
to other schools.
Although Tim’s work has taken a back seat throughout his teaching career, he is now back producing ceramic work both of a functional and semi-functional nature. He works on the wheel to produce traditional thrown work and slip-casts more contemporary pieces. He also creates one-off sculptures and lighting pieces, as well as a range of prints.
Tim Bates
