Bio & Information
AMB (Arthur Merric Boyd 1920–1999) Pottery and (Neil Douglas 1911-2003)
AMB started in 1944 when Arthur Boyd John Perceval and Peter Herbst purchased Hatton Beck’s pottery “Altamira” in Murrumbeena Victoria and renamed it the Arthur Merric Boyd (AMB) Pottery the aim was to manufacture crockery to meet the demand caused by wartime shortages by the late 1940s the focus of the AMB Pottery changed and it started to produce more colourful experimental one-off Pottery including terracotta sculptures, unique coffee and tea sets, bowls, carafes, plates, jugs, decanter sets, vases, and tiled coffee tables often decorated with angels beasts portraits and Australian flora and fauna motifs as the Pottery business grew they worked with more artists and friends these included Neil Douglas, Yvonne Boyd, Mary Boyd, Charles Blackman, Jean Langley, Tim and Betty Burstall, John Howley, Carl Cooper, Tom Sanders, Albert Tucker and John Yule the studio is renowned for the artistic movement that it created in Australia and the number of well-known artists that worked together to create some real Australian masterpieces the artists at AMB always maintained a high level of creativity with many works being one-off sculptural pieces when Peter Herbst left in 1950 Neil Douglas replaced Peter Herbst as a partner who had been working at AMB for some time Neil introduced a unconventional depiction of the environment to the earthenware produced at AMB Using a direct tempera style technique applying the underglaze colour onto the leather hard clay surface before the application of a clear overglaze and subsequent firing he created distinctive individual pieces that combined a feathery but skilful painting style with simple thrown forms after the closure of AMB Neil continued to make pottery and resumed painting which had been the major part of his creative practice early on in his career In later life Neil moved to Nhill in western Victoria where he continued to paint often spending extended times in the bush During his lifetime Neil was highly regarded as both a potter and painter He was also recognised as a passionate conservationist and a charismatic and eccentric individual In 1975 he was awarded an MBE in recognition of his services to conservation and the arts
