"Working with clay has constantly been a challenge and bred determination, patience a knowledge of my abilities and limitations. It has also led to worldwide opportunities and friendships."
"I am firstly a potter but have also been a teacher, curator, and more recently moved from working with terracotta making garden ware into porcelain functional pots; vases, bottles, cups and dishes."
The Ceramic Review team have carefully chosen 10 well-known makers whose work they believe will make the perfect gifts this Christmas.
Full of inspiration and tips on how to save time and use our site to find the perfect pieces for your loved ones this Christmas.
"I design and make small batch slipware in my Herefordshire studio Eastnor Pottery, near Ledbury. New designs include a series of kitchen and bathroom ware. They are created with function in mind."
Sarah's work is featuring in our bi-monthly display, so we took the opportunity to ask Sarah some questions about her inspiration and process.
"When you are working in clay you have to adopt a very calm and focused approach combined with patience. In my life I feel that this practice has helped me achieve many things and understand things outside my normal day. What will be will be without fuss. This approach has been very beneficial in my time teaching. "
John's work is featuring in our bi-monthly display, so we took the opportunity to ask John some questions about his inspiration and process.
“Through her unique way of working with clay, Rachel has developed a highly personal and creative signature within her work”. David Binns
We are very excited to introduce Anne Butler, a maker who explores the act of making and the endless experimentation with the changing state of Parian porcelain; both in its raw and fired state. Our new website (we are writing in Autumn 2020) also gives our audience the opportunity to buy Anne's work online. For our late summer bi-monthly edit, we present a series from Anne called Eclipse Vessels, which are inspired by the light and shadows cast in the urban environment.
Emily-Kriste Wilcox makes slab-built vessels which she describes as 'paintings in clay'. Her palette is drawn from British landscapes with the verdant greens of hills and gardens, and seascapes with coastal and sky blues pleasing the eye. She reveals how she brings the outside in.
This time Contemporary Ceramics are featuring Made in Cley, not an individual but a collective of mostly ceramic makers (jewellery, graphic work and sculpture are also part of their repertoire). The four founder members: Wolfgang, Gunhild, Barbara and Quay met while studying abroad. Their work is inspired by the likes of Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, other leading studio potters and by Japanese and Korean ceramics.
Martin Pearce makes sculptures that reference shapes found in the natural world. He talks about the trees and landscape close to the coast where he lives as being important points of reference. His biomorphic shapes are handbuilt using Earthstone white stoneware clay.