POTTERY

Artist's Statement

The desire to build a life, marriage and family around the beauty of making and sharing hand-made objects is the bedrock of our pursuit of pottery. Of all the artistic mediums, clay has a unique way of intertwining form and function; art and life. Pots bring people together. Whether it is around a table or kiln, there is a communal aspect to their creation and existence.

Our approach to clay reflects the intimate nature of our relationship to each other, as well as our individuality. Naomi’s precise eye and love of nature is reflected in the intricate patterns she creates by impressing plants into leather-hard clay. Brian on the other hand, will decorate a pot with deft strokes to create an image of a tree deeply gouged into the surface. Nature is an inspiration for us both – but how we transmit it into clay differs. We embrace clay’s receptivity to the mark of the hand as it reflects the maker in unforeseen ways.

In order to highlight this sensitivity of clay, we use different firing processes and glazes. The botanical impressions are enhanced by an iron wash and fired in an electric kiln. This reveals the finest details and leaves them unobscured. Deeper textures are highlighted by breaking glazes, or firing atmospherically. We began wood firing in 2021 by converting a disused electric kiln and in 2025 we built a proper wood fired anagama (traditional Japanese tunnel shaped kiln) inspired kiln. These pots carry the turbulent story of the flame which transforms them from brittle dust into stone and glass.

Our work is created in a dialogue with each-other, though not usually consciously. It is a product of sharing a studio, and our whole life. We keep some pots to ourselves, and others we give to one another to finish. The nature of our fellowship in clay creates a unity in our work in spite of our different temperaments.

The beauty of pottery is that the conversation of creativity doesn’t end when the pot leaves the studio. In the home it continues to be enlivened by use, whether it is filled with a humble chicken soup or a grand bouquet. We as makers have a great privilege and responsibility to create objects that are intimately used, cherished and contemplated by people in the most (extra)ordinary moments of life.