The Artistry of Animal Instincts

Alan Maslankowski, who died suddenly in September 2006, aged just 54, was a true product of ‘The Potteries’. He had worked with Royal Doulton from 1968 onwards.

Keith Appleby, Director of Group Brands, commented, “Alan was well known as one of the ceramic industry’s finest modellers having worked for Royal Doulton most of his life, transforming clay into delicately intricate sculptures. He will be missed by friends, family, colleagues and by the ceramic industry itself.”

Shortly before his death, the International Collectors Club talked to Alan as one of the leading figures of the Design Studios – a man whose impressive portfolio included Burslem Artwares, Character Figures, Limited Editions and Prestige Figures, Images and Images of Nature, and a Joanna RDICC Lady 2005.

	You were an early starter when it comes to sculpting? My mother says that I started working on plasticine at the age of six. I wasn’t the only childhood modeller in the 1950s, but I stuck with it! My teachers noticed my creative interest in clay and plasticine and nurtured it accordingly.
	Why are you so interested in the world of nature – especially animals? In my early years I really wanted a dog but I didn’t get my first pet dog until the age of 12. I wouldn’t say that I was deprived - but my interest in animals really fuelled my imagination. They were my first consuming passion when it came to sculpting.
	What prompted you to join Royal Doulton in 1968? As I was about to leave school at the age of 16 my new Art Teacher, Eddie Fern, got in touch with Royal Doulton as a local employer who may be interested in me. So, I took along a display of four or five favourite pieces and was offered a job straight away. I began as a Trainee Modeller at the Nile Street factory on £9 per week. My first production piece, The Owl, was added to the flambé collection in 1970. Royal Doulton also paid for my education and training. They put me through 5 years at Longton Art College where I learnt about life and plant drawing, lettering and heraldry, and, most fascinating of all, the 3D side of art.
	You’ve certainly moved around in your career! From ‘The Potteries’ to the USA really, both full-time and freelance. For instance, I left Royal Doulton in 1973 to specialise in animal figurines at John Beswick. I also worked at Wades in the mid 1970s and in the 1980s and sculpted the very first of the famous collectable NatWest Pigs – Woody, the baby, in 1983. In addition, I modelled a series of 12 prestige animal pieces in conjunction with the Anglia TV ‘Survival’ programme, as well as 12 birds. And I spent a couple of years in Cincinnati, USA working on Star Wars figures for Kenner Toys, including a B-Wing Fighter Pilot and Aman Am an the mercenary. It was while working as a freelance from 1985 to 1990 that I also handled modelling for Franklin Mint.
	Yet the bulk of your work is with Royal Doulton? My roots have always been with Royal Doulton and ‘The Potteries’. You’ll find that I modelled The Wizard back in 1979 and it’s still in production. I think it’s a great example of the team spirit that exists at Royal Doulton’s Design Studios. Modeller Robert Tabbenor suggested this fantasy figure and I saw it through to completion, from the tip of his hat to the black cat at his feet. You’ll find that the spell book he is reading features a spell composed by the then Sculptural Director Eric Griffiths. I’ve also got an owl reading the spell over his shoulder.
	You returned to Royal Doulton full-time in 1990 – tell us about your favourite pieces? It was a chance to go beyond pure animal figurines and explore historical pieces as well as childhood subjects. I was particularly interested in the subtle stylised approach of Images, and I’ve also been involved in the more classical forms of Tales of the Sea. I do enjoy bold equestrian-based compositions like Lady Godiva and Alexander the Great. The Prestige Figure The Charge of the Light Brigade really stands out though. It was a chance to combine my love of animal studies with a historic figure. It’s a dynamic action piece that brings the famous poem around the base to life. Images of Nature have also been hugely enjoyable because they take me back to my love of nature. My favourite would have to be Tumbling Waters which gave me the opportunity to depict three otters spiralling around one another.
	What’s so special about the briefs you receive at Royal Doulton? Really it’s the free rein that I’m given with creative briefs. It’s my fifth decade with the business and I’m trusted to take a quite basic brief and interpret it as I see fit. I’ve recently been working on an action piece of a large horse, and I’ve devised four maquettes which I’m really excited about. The next step is to gain approval from marketing.
	What would you describe as your greatest challenge as a sculptor? It’s got to be the large figures, like The Charge of The Light Brigade. Attention to detail was crucial. We went to the home of the 17th Lancers – at Belvoir Castle in Nottinghamshire – to get the feel of the uniforms and research all the minutiae. And it paid off. Research really is the key to larger pieces like this and Henry V at Agincourt too where the detail of the armour was crucial. These large historic pieces can take four months to complete. Military Artist Malcolm Greensmith is also a stickler for details, so it’s been a pleasure working on Nostalgia Figures such as the forthcoming follow on to The Railway Sleeper and associated figurines. Nevertheless, these are static pieces. My time at Kenner in the USA meant adapting to working on figurines that are toys with movable arms, say. That technical challenge changes your perceptions of how the figure should be.
	Sculpting is a traditional craft – do you have any tricks of the trade? It’s really what works for you. I do go beyond the standard equipment and use dentist’s tools or items that were made for wax working. And I never draw – my pieces are presented from the start as a ‘clay sketch’ if you like.
	Do you have any role models or favourites in the field? You could say that certain figures stand out! Like Rembrandt Bugatti (1884-1916), who closely observed animals at places like Antwerp Zoo. His clay originals became marvellous bronze casts. I also admire the work of Knud Kyhn, the Danish sculptor who produced a number of classics for the Royal Copenhagen. And we have plenty of homegrown talents at Royal Doulton, such as Leslie Harradine from the early twentieth century, including farm workers and Dickens characters. But my favourite piece has to be The Farmer’s Boy by W M Chance. Introduced in 1938, it’s a joyous portrayal of a farm hand taking a ride on a huge shire horse.
	What’s going to be the next step for you or Royal Doulton figures? At the end of the day I’m a Royal Doulton animal. After all, we do have Britain’s broadest range of quality collectable figurines. We’re strong on realistic pieces. So maybe we should try yet more different glaze techniques, make our pieces even bigger, try something even more abstract. Now there’s an idea or two…it’s the sort of free hand I enjoy…