I’m starting the week with the first in a brand-new series focusing on independent, minimalist-style makers across a range of different categories. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a while now: there are so many talented people whose work I’d like to showcase, and I know many of you are always on the lookout for unique pieces to add the perfect finishing touches to your home. Over the coming months I’ll cover everything from art to wood-turning, but first up is ceramics – something I freely admit to having a bit of an addiction to!
Over time I’ve built up quite a collection of vases, tableware and decorative objects, and I love the tactile, imperfect nature of items made from clay. Knowing that most were lovingly crafted by hand makes them all the more special, and they truly are pieces with stories to tell. I’ve rounded up 10 of my favourite ceramicists below – some of whom I’ve known for years, others more recent discoveries who I’ve stumbled across via Instagram or Pinterest. Their work each has its own character and inspirations, but they all share the same commitment to making understated and timeless objects that can be treasured for decades to come. I hope their beautiful creations captivate you as much as they have me…
Reesha Zubair
First up is Reesha Zubair, who happens to live just a few streets away from me in Bristol. Working from her home studio, she makes a stunning range of artisan pottery, all wheel-thrown or hand-built in small batches. She takes much of her inspiration from the nature and landscapes of her native Maldives, and its beaches, sea and plants are often reflected in the textures, shapes and glaze colours. There are decorative pieces in serene shades of green and blue, tableware with speckled sand-coloured surfaces, plates whose patterns resemble frothing waves, and much, much more. I’m lucky enough to own one of her raku-fired vases, which takes pride of place on the shelf unit above my desk and is absolutely gorgeous. You can order via Reesha’s website and Instagram feed, and she also accepts commissions.
Images via Reesha Zubair
Kirstie van Noort
Based in the Dutch city of Eindhoven, Kirstie van Noort uses materials research as the starting point for her ceramics, resulting in pieces that are as fascinating as they are beautiful. Her ‘Cornwall’ tableware, for example, features raw materials discarded by the now-abandoned tin and copper mines that dot the Cornish landscape. Over the course of two separate field trips she extracted hundreds of kilos of pigment in earthy pinks, browns and ochres, which she applies to white porcelain in graduated relief-like patterns. You can purchase the collection via her webshop, along with prints inspired by her travels and a book explaining the process. Kirstie also works with companies around the world and has collaborated with Japanese producer 2016/Arita, which was established to revive and preserve the specialist pottery skills of the Japanese town of Arita through international partnerships.
Images via Kirstie van Noort
Tracy Dixon
I was following former photographer Tracy Dixon long before she discovered pottery and it’s been a joy to watch her new career flourish over the past few years. She fell in love with ceramics when her husband bought her throwing lessons as a birthday present, and an internship at the renowned Illyria Pottery in Oxford soon followed. She now works from her Wiltshire garden studio, hand-building and wheel-throwing vases, bowls, tableware and candleholders. Tracy’s quiet, understated aesthetic is simply beautiful, and I love the matt finish – my personal favourite is the ‘Paper’ collection, which combines organic shapes and neutral colours with textured surfaces. Keep a close eye on her Instagram page or sign up to her newsletter for details of upcoming shop updates, as they tend to sell out in minutes; she also creates bespoke ceramic wall art, an example of which you can see hanging above the fireplace in my dining room.
Photography by Tracy Dixon
Naked Clay Ceramics
Based in the rolling Bedfordshire countryside, Carla Sealey is a qualified geologist and chemist who spent 14 years working in environmental protection before returning to university to study applied arts. She now runs Naked Clay Ceramics, hand-building and slip-casting a stunning collection of vessels and tableware in white porcelain and black stoneware. She takes inspiration from the colours and textures of the earth, and fires pieces without external glaze so that the beauty of the clay can be appreciated. The results are minimalist, tactile and totally unique – a joy to look at and to hold. I love the way the interior glaze often spills over the edge, creating subtle details that offset the clean-lined shapes, and the tangible connection with the natural world that they provide. Carla’s work is available to buy via her webshop, and she often attends craft events and fairs; you can also find her on Instagram.
Photography by Carla Sealey and Lumacontent
Ida Svärdström
Swedish ceramicist Ida Svärdström works from her rural farmstead in the region of Dalarna, which has long been renowned for its crafts. She describes feeling a calling for pottery the first time she ever sat at a throwing wheel, and her passion is evident in everything she creates. Her pieces are as functional as they are beautiful, encompassing tableware, decorative vases and more. Collections include ‘Halo’, whose bold circular forms were inspired by Art Deco design; the elegant ‘Fade’, with its glossy glaze and soft grey and white speckles; and the playfully spotted ‘Curious’. Contact her via her website to place an oder; items are also stocked at shops in Dalarna and Gothenburg, and her Instagram feed is a delight for the eye.
Images via Ida Svärdström
HoJung Kim
I first came across South Korean artist HoJung Kim‘s work at the London Design Fair last year and I was instantly smitten. A graduate of KyungHee University, HongIk University and London’s Royal College of Art, she uses ceramics to explore the relationship between different colours and materials, mixing traditional craft techniques and industrial methods to create elegant yet eye-catching objects. Her ‘Flow’ stoneware and porcelain vessels, for example, feature recycled fragments of clay that drift across the surfaces in swirling patterns – minimalist at first glance, yet revealing unexpected details the more closely you look. I love the way they offset muted beige and brown with vibrant orange and sky-blue, and the clay fragments remind me of rock stratas studded with minerals and gemstones. You can find out more and see details of HoJung’s upcoming shows via her website and Instagram.
Photography by HoJung Kim and Maria Bell
Anna Ceramics
Now living in Vancouver, Anna Citak-Scott of Anna Ceramics grew up in a Polish household where crafts were somewhat of a family tradition. She studied architecture in Krakow and spent many years searching for a way to express herself artistically, eventually finding her home in pottery after being drawn by the patience and slow pace involved in working with clay. Her ceramics are strongly influenced by her architectural background, with an emphasis on simple forms and clean lines – her goal is to create functional objects that are minimalist, modern and elegant. Her first collection is due to launch soon and encompasses tableware, vases, plant pots and candleholders, some in earthy colours and speckled glazes, others raku-fired to produce intriguing surface patterns. Sign up for updates via her website or keep on eye on her Instagram feed.
Photography by Devan Scott
NR Ceramics
Lee Nu-ri of Seoul studio NR Ceramics creates objects that are intended to bring balance, comfort and variety of form to the spaces in which they sit. All handmade, they’re dipped in unique glazes that have been specifically developed for each product and reflect her philosophy of ‘changes in stability’. Collections include the ‘Moon and Sand’ bowls and vases, which combine a glossy finish with voluminous curves; and the ‘Pum-da’ tableware series, which is based on the theme of winter turning to spring and features evocative, nature-inspired colourways such as ‘Fog’, ‘Winter Forest’ and ‘Night Rain’. My favourite, though, is ‘Half Moon’ – a sculptural two-section vase that tilts when filled but looks just as striking when empty. All items can be purchased online and shipped worldwide.
Images via NR Ceramics
Studio Bræ
Tokes Sharif of Edinburgh-based Studio Bræ hand-makes functional and sculptural ceramics, often influenced by architecture and nature. The matt surfaces, stony textures and earthy colours reflect wild Scottish landscapes, and small percentages of natural oxides are used in the glazes and clay to create irregularities, depth and subtle variations in tone. The deliberately minimalist aesthetic is intended to allow a deeper, more reflective connection with nature, as well as being practical enough for day-to-day use. I was instantly drawn to the asymmetrical ‘Flow’ vases and the arched and curved candleholders; there’s also a selection of beautifully understated tableware, incense holders and display bowls. Everything is available via the Studio Bræ webshop, and some items are also sold through stockists in Scotland and further afield.
Photography by Tokes Sharif and Martin Vrzal
Robynn Storgaard
Originally from Canada but now living in Denmark, Robynn Storgaard celebrates slow living and conscious consumption through her wonderfully minimalist ceramics. Hand-made in small batches in her Copenhagen studio, her pieces bring joy to simple, everyday tasks and are the kind of thing you’ll keep and use year after year. There are cups, vases, utensil holders, bowls and more, all made from local Scandinavian clays and glazed in calming shades of white, cream and beige. Some have sculptural handles and carved surfaces, others are striking in their elegance, but they all display the same quiet beauty and subtle detailing. Robynn’s webshop is updated regularly and international shipping is available; her work is also stocked by several boutiques in Europe and beyond.
Images via Robynn Storgaard
All photography as credited above; top image by Studio Bræ
Just lovely!