Beatles, Rolling Stones and more album covers as pottery

An amateur sculptor who makes 3D pottery versions of classic album covers by The Beatles, Rolling Stones and more, is hoping to stage a public exhibition of his works after a private viewing proved successful.

Simon Buckmaster started evening classes in ceramics seven years ago and his love of music inspired him to create his takes on his favourite LP art.

"I'd always been interested in album covers and thought they would lend themselves to the ceramic form," he said.

"I pick them based on something that could look good in three dimensions - cars, an animal, buildings."

His first effort, currently dismantled and in storage, was Pink Floyd's Animals (featuring a pig flying over Battersea Power Station) and he then moved on to the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed - starting with the cake section, which on the original album was baked by Delia Smith.

"I was only going to do the cake bit and then a friend joked about whether I could finish the whole thing in time for the album's 50th anniversary in 2019," said Mr Buckmaster.

The 63-year-old former farmer, whose studio is at his house in Felsham in Suffolk, chose his favourite 12 pieces and mounted a private view at the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts in nearby Stowmarket, where he volunteers.

"I had no expectations beyond it being a hobby, but it seems album covers are of more widespread interest among friends and beyond," he said.

"It seems to put a smile on people's faces."

Mr Buckmaster was saddened by the rise of the smaller scale cassette and CD, along with downloading and streaming which has meant no packaging is required at all.

"Because the square canvas had gone it felt like it wasn't worth the artistic input anymore," he said.

"But with the renaissance of vinyl we are seeing the return of album art, notably a recent release involving Sir Peter Blake [The Who's last LP]."

The sculptor said that although he would like to exhibit his work further, he did not plan to sell any of his pieces.

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