Born
1950, York

Education 
Ceramics, Harrow College of Art

Tutors
Michael Casson, Walter Keeler

WORK HISTORY

1974-1979     Production of contemporary silver jewellery
1982             Established Shire Pottery in Tynedale, Northumberland
1982-1998     Produced ¼ million hand-thrown garden pots for home and export market
1998             Developed new production of studio porcelain
1999             Moved to Alnwick, Northumberland
Oct 1999      Opened Shire Pottery Gallery & Studios (contemporary art & studio porcelain)

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & REPRESENTATION

1976            Loot, Goldsmiths' Hall - silver snuff boxes

1997            British Embassy Tokyo - garden ceramics

1998            Queen's Hall, Hexham - porcelain launch exhibition

1999            Shire Pottery Gallery & Studios opened by Duchess of Northumberland
                   Leith Gallery Edinburgh (solo, with painter)
                   Potfest, Perth & Penrith
                   Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool
                   Candover Gallery, Alresford, Winchester
                   Katie Jones Gallery, Westbourne Grove, London
                   Timney Fowley, Kings Road, Chelsea

2000            Gateshead Central Library Gallery (solo, with painter)
                   Corrymella Scott Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (solo, with painter)
                   Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (solo with painter)
                   Liberty’s, London
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate
                   Desmoulin, Newbury, Berkshire
                   Gossipgate Gaslight Gallery, Alson, Cumbria
                   Potfest Perth & Penrith

2001            Pyramid Gallery, York 
                   Courtyard Gallery, Crail
                   Northern Arts (display)
                   Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (solo with painter)
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate
                   Wynd Gallery, Melrose
                   Laburnum Ceramics, Penrith
                   "Christmas Present", The Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead

2002            South Street Gallery, St Andrews
                   ArtParkS, Sausmarez Manor, Guernsey
                   Pyramid Gallery, York
                   Leith Gallery, Edinburgh
                   Wynd Gallery, Melrose
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate

2003            "Sky After Rain" Oriental Museum, Durham (solo) 
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate
                   Leith Gallery, Edinburgh
                   South Street Gallery, St Andrews
                   "Baker’s Dozen", Roundhouse Gallery, Foston, Derbyshire

2004            "Ivar Mackay Porcelain", Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow (solo)
                   Gateshead Central Library Gallery (non-selling solo display, with painter)
                   Arts Council England North East, Newcastle upon Tyne (non selling solo display) 
                   "Christmas Present", the Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate

2005            Yufuku Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (international debut solo exhibition, March 2005)
                   International Ceramics Fair & Seminar, London (with Adrian Sassoon)
                   The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (solo, with painter, May 2005)
                   Adrian Sassoon Gallery, London
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate
                   Red Barn Gallery, Melkinthorpe, Cumbria

2006            ‘Ivar Mackay Porcelain’ The Scottish Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh (solo)
                   ‘Interior Spaces’, Thomas Goode, Mayfair, London, (with The Scottish Gallery)
                   ‘Evolve’, Designed & Made showcase exhibition, Blackfriars, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
                   Christmas Exhibition, Castlegate House Gallery, Cockermouth, Cumbria
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate 

2007            ‘CPA at 50’ exhibition, The Gallery at Bevere, Worcester 
                   ‘Vessels for Spring’, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
                   Art at Mellerstain, Mellerstain House, Gordon, Berwickshire (with The Scottish Gallery) 
                   Launch exhibition, Number52 The Gallery, Lichfield
                   Castlegatehouse Gallery, Cockermouth, Cumbria
                   Godfrey & Watt, Harrogate

AWARDS

1998            Business Link Northumberland, support for export promotion material

1999            Northern Arts (CBV Grant) for Alnwick Gallery & Studios project 
                   Heritage Lottery Fund Grant for Alnwick Gallery & Studios project
                   One NorthEast Grant for Alnwick gallery & Studios project

2001            Alnwick Civic Society Special Conservation Award - Gallery Project 2001

2002            Arts Council England North East Award for exhibition catalogue and events

2003            Arts Council England North East Award for "Sky After Rain" exhibition catalogue

2004            Arts Council England North East Award for Japan research trip 
                   Arts Council England North East Award for pottery equipment

2005            Arts Council England North East Award for Japan exhibition and travel
                   Elected to Crafts Council Photostore Selected Makers
                   Elected Professional Member of the Craft Potters Association

MEMBERSHIP

2007            Axis
                   Crafts Council Photostore Selected Makers
                   Craft Potters Association (Professional Membership)
                   Network Artists in Northumberland
                   Studiopottery.co.uk
                   
PUBLICATIONS & ARTICLES

2003            Sky After Rain - Studio Porcelain by Ivar Mackay", Matthew Blackman, A-N for Artists July 03
                   All Fired Up, Jane Pikett, Exclusive Magazine Jul/Aug 03
                   "Ivar Mackay: Sky After Rain", Julia Palmer, Ceramic Review Sept/Oct 03
                   "Ivar Mackay" Upfront Review, Ceramics Monthly Dec 03
                   "Ivar Mackay Profile", Chitose Uchida, E-yakimono.net

2004            "International Exhibition for Alnwick Potter", Angie Boyer, The Craftsman, July 04

2005            "Ivar Mackay" Upfront Review, Ceramics Monthly, May 2005
                   British Studio Potters Marks (second edition, published 2005)
                   Living North Fine Art Guide 2005, Arts Council England Own Art feature advertisement

2006            Pick of the Shows, Listings, Ceramic Review March/April 2006
                   News & Events, editorial & image, Craftsman Magazine, April 2006 
                   "Ivar Mackay Shines at the Scottish Gallery", The Craftsman, July 06
                   Living North Magazine, Arts Council England Own Art feature advertisement