Pottery award for Tour of Britain cyclist after victory in Stoke-on-Trent stage
A victorious Tour of Britain cyclist will leave Stoke-on-Trent with a trophy designed and crafted in the city.
Anita Harris with the charger
Marc de Maar won the Stoke stage of the event in front of thousands of fans and picked up an earthenware pottery charger created by ceramic artist Anita Harris.
The design features a cyclist in a yellow jersey, racing along a red, white and blue road. The background features bottle kilns, which figure prominently in Stoke-on-Trent’s landscape and industrial heritage.
Anita – who runs Longton-based Anita Harris Art Pottery Ltd – donated the trophy after being approached by the city council.
“It’s such a great thing that the city has got to host the Tour of Britain again,” she said. “There’s a buzz about the event and cycling in general, so I was really pleased to be involved in this way.
“A lot of my work is finished with the deep, rich red glaze that I’ve used on the charger. I wanted the design to be instantly recognisable, and hopefully people will see very quickly that it’s about the Tour of Britain and Stoke-on-Trent.”
Marc de Maar was not the only cyclist leaving the city with a piece of artwork.
Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish received portraits created by Hanley artist Paine Proffitt.
“My work is widely known for a certain vintage style, which seemed to lend itself well to these two paintings and the cycling theme,” said Paine.
“The paintings are quirky and nostalgic, and I hope I’ve somehow managed to capture and reflect the two cyclists’ personalities as well as a real feel of Stoke-on-Trent with the bottle kilns and industrial buildings.”
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