As travel becomes a distant memory due to the pandemic, I have been looking closer to home for inspiration and what a gift that has been. There are many makers that I have admired for a while and it has been very exciting to connect and support their work in my shop.
I have sourced handmade ceramics by some of my favourite ceramicists, women who work in the UK armed with a variety of ancestral influences. I have brought in candles for the first time from the Cornish brand St Eval. I have created textiles from fabric sourced from London-based shops The Cloth Shop and The Cloth House, these cushions and tablecloths are hand-sewn in London.
NAKED CLAY CERAMICS, BEDFORD
Carla of Naked Clay Ceramics is inspired by the colours and textures of the earth. This informs her work which is rich in finish and unique markings. Carla’s hand and love for her work are evident in each piece.
I was excited to discover Carla on Instagram, as a black female potter, she is paving the way for others to follow. I love the richness of her work it has a connection to the deep soils and clays of the UK.
ARGILO, FALMOUTH, CORNWALL
Falmouth has special memories for me since I visited as a child. The town is well known for its university which focuses on the arts. It was always somewhere I wished to study graphic design. It is a port city full of character and great seafood and fish.
Jaye of Argilo is a former student of the university. She is based in the town where she creates her wheel-thrown ceramics. Her ceramics are inspired by the warmth and soul of the Mediterranean.
ELLA BUA-IN MARGATE, KENT
Kent is known as the “The Garden of England” due to the vast amount of farming there. It is also leading the way in wine production which is a relatively new industry for the UK.
Along with farming, Kent has some of the most famous beaches in the country, most backed by the famous white cliffs. Ella Bua-In is based in Margate. A town which has a thriving group of artists and makers.
ERADU, LONDON
Eva of Eradu is based in South London and works in her studio in the emerging creative centre of Deptford. Eva’s work is inspired by the exploration of form and she is always her evolving her work. Having relocated from Bulgaria she moved to Stoke-on-Trent to complete a master’s in Ceramics.
Stoke is the beating heart of ceramic production in the UK. A lot of brands now produce abroad but there is a wealth of knowledge in the city. Eva has worked with Wedgewood which is the most well-known ceramics brand in the world. The tones and textures of her work have a rich but soft earthy feel which I love.
ST EVAL, CORNWALL
The north coast of Cornwall is rugged and expansive. This landscape is the inspiration for St Eval who have been making candles on their farm in the village of St Eval for over 25 years. The colours and fragrance of their candles take inspiration from this landscape, earthy terracotta, rich greens and soft cream colours.
Cornwall has a special place in my heart, as a child, we visited Truro and Falmouth on holiday. I remember the everchanging weather. the town of St Ives was the setting for my brothers’ wedding which looked over the beach of Porthminster.