Watercolour

This watercolour shows construction work on the side elevation, facing the canal, of the Wedgwood factory in Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, only a few years after this new factory opened in 1940. It was painted by Eric Owen in 1948. Owen was chief modeller and sculptor for Wedgwood from 1946 to 1967 and a free-lance modeller with facilities at Barlaston from 1967 until his death in 1975.

During his time with Wedgwood, Owen was responsible for modelling many tableware shapes as well as a number of portrait medallions. He travelled and lectured widely, teaching for a short period at the Royal College of Art and was elected a member of the Society of Industrial Artists in 1957.