Every piece is made on the potter’s wheel using stoneware clay. Throwing is a rather magical technique, and the transformation from lump of clay to vessel never ceases to delight me! Its ancient heritage is fascinating. The first wheels date back to around 3000 BC, and the process has remained essentially unchanged (I use an electric wheel, and the earliest ones were momentum powered). I often find myself contemplating the vast history of ceramics while on my wheel, and feel a kinship and a reverence to the multitude of potter’s who have come before me.

Once the thrown pots reach the ‘leather hard’ stage I apply my decoration using coloured slips- my favourite part of the making process! I mix all my colours in the studio to achieve a range of subtle hues, which are then layered on to the clay’s surface. I am constantly experimenting and developing my slip decoration techniques, and use stencilling, printing and resist to create the lines, circles and brush-marks in my designs. After decoration has been applied, the pieces are left until completely dry and then fired in an electric kiln to 1000 degrees. After bisque firing, a transparent glaze is applied before firing again to a high temperature (1250 degrees), which vitrifies the clay and produces a wonderful depth of colour.

Studio portraits by Alex Claire Photography