Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Coming up with a "unique" style, or how I "did it", has to be one of the questions I'm asked most, be it in emails or messages. I think nowadays this part of being a ceramicist has come to the forefront of what being a potter means, and occasionally I think that it could be detrimental.
I'm not saying it's not important. It is, but not straight away, or if it means neglecting your skills or how much you learn. Essentially, settling into a very specific style as soon as possible means you potentially lose out on experiencing the greater world of ceramics and what it has to offer.
I never set out to become a potter with the goal of being wholly unique and individual as a maker. Instead, what drove me at first was a strong desire to be good at something, and over almost a decade of learning the craft, the moments I found where my ability ramped up the fastest were when I was put into a position where I suddenly had to adapt and create a range of ceramics I wasn't very familiar with. For example, during my apprenticeship with Lisa Hammond, I suddenly had to learn how to throw more efficiently, pull handles, raw glaze, and soda fire. Then, during my apprenticeship with Ken Matsuzaki, I had to learn how to throw off the kick wheel and utilise a wholly new toolset, methodology of glazing, and firing.
These experiences compound with time and effort, and I think it all helped me develop what's now a relatively "unique" style. I'm using quotation marks because it's sometimes difficult to imagine there's anything truly new and distinctive within the world of clay considering how old the craft is, especially when you're producing work that is fundamentally quite minimal.
The other thing I've always tried to do is actively make pots that are dissimilar to others. If I felt I was leaning too close to one individual, I'd pull in another direction. Yet ultimately, we're all making in the likeness of others, but it's through experience and trying new techniques and practices that real individuality emerges.
#pottery #ceramics #satisfying #craft #asmr
Coming up with a "unique" style, or how I "did it", has to be one of the questions I'm asked most, be it in emails or messages. I think nowadays this part of being a ceramicist has come to the forefront of what being a potter means, and occasionally I think that it could be detrimental.
I'm not saying it's not important. It is, but not straight away, or if it means neglecting your skills or how much you learn. Essentially, settling into a very specific style as soon as possible means you potentially lose out on experiencing the greater world of ceramics and what it has to offer.
I never set out to become a potter with the goal of being wholly unique and individual as a maker. Instead, what drove me at first was a strong desire to be good at something, and over almost a decade of learning the craft, the moments I found where my ability ramped up the fastest were when I was put into a position where I suddenly had to adapt and create a range of ceramics I wasn't very familiar with. For example, during my apprenticeship with Lisa Hammond, I suddenly had to learn how to throw more efficiently, pull handles, raw glaze, and soda fire. Then, during my apprenticeship with Ken Matsuzaki, I had to learn how to throw off the kick wheel and utilise a wholly new toolset, methodology of glazing, and firing.
These experiences compound with time and effort, and I think it all helped me develop what's now a relatively "unique" style. I'm using quotation marks because it's sometimes difficult to imagine there's anything truly new and distinctive within the world of clay considering how old the craft is, especially when you're producing work that is fundamentally quite minimal.
The other thing I've always tried to do is actively make pots that are dissimilar to others. If I felt I was leaning too close to one individual, I'd pull in another direction. Yet ultimately, we're all making in the likeness of others, but it's through experience and trying new techniques and practices that real individuality emerges.
#pottery #ceramics #satisfying #craft #asmr
