Ceramics have become an exciting field in the craft world over the last few years. Makers are increasingly pushing the boundaries of the discipline and inspiring a growing market of craft buyers and collectors. Whether you enjoy large-scale sculptural art or functional mugs or bowls. A colourful mix of glazes or natural stoneware and earthenware. A highly decorative work or super simple clean lines. There is something on the UK ceramics scene for you!

We have put together a small selection of ceramicists who are producing incredible, unique work. Not only are their wares beautifully crafted, they are also different from anything we have seen before. Feast your eyes on the beautiful work and take a look at the artists’ websites to see more of their ceramics.

Sophie Southgate

Sophie Southgate creates extraordinary ceramics exploring colour and form. She pushes the limits of slip casting, a process of creating a mould, pouring in clay, and letting it set. It’s perfect for creating forms that cannot be easily made on a pottery wheel.

We are particularly charmed by her latest collection, Lollies, which she started to explore in 2021. The irreverent collection of colourful ice lollies replicates the classic shapes of childhood favourites including Twister, Fab, Magnum and Rocket.

Sophie takes the nostalgic, instantly recognisable visuals and reimagines them as ombre and marbled sculptures. You can check out the full collection of Lollies on Sophie’s website.

Rhian Malin Ceramics

Rhian creates functional and decorative wheel thrown porcelain vessels, focussing on incredibly intricate pattern.

Taking inspiration from her grandmother’s Willow Pattern collection, Rhian brings the traditional cobalt blue decoration into the contemporary world of ceramics. The geometric designs are painstakingly applied by hand onto each vessel, creating stunning works of art.

Rhian’s mandala designs on gorgeously curved vases are a particular highlight and have quickly become collectibles in the ceramic field. To see more, have a browse of Rhian’s portfolio of decorated vessels and objects.

Vanessa Hogge

The highly ornate, organic work of Vanessa Hogge is an incredibly feat of hand building with porcelain and clay. She crafts her botanical wall hangings, vessels, and sculptures in her London studio.

Vanessa creates every single element of the floral ceramics by hand, slowly attaching and building the large-scale unique forms. The flowers take form of dahlias, chrysanthemums, daisies, and hydrangeas, breathing new life into the natural forms.

Check out Vanessa’s collections Efflorescence and Wallflowers.

Jeremy Nichols

For functional ceramics with entirely distinct forms, look no further than Jeremy Nichols. Jeremy uses a rare technique of salt glazing, where salt is introduced into the kiln at the end of the firing, creating incredible glaze patterns on the surface of the pots. These beautifully decorated vibrant ceramics are designed for making and drinking tea and coffee.

Jeremy’s starting point is often the handle of the object, as he pushes ergonomics and functionality to its limits, carving out a distinct aesthetic. The balance is just right as his pots are works of art that are also satisfying to use.

You can enjoy his full body of work in shades of blue on Jeremy’s website.

Jack Durling Ceramics Artist

Creating sculptural ceramic artwork straight out of a wildlife scene, Jack Durling is an up-and-coming designer passionate about conservation.

Jack takes inspiration from various habitats including the ocean and the Arctic, and celebrates the animals and their unique characteristics. His hand-built sculptures are full of life and expression. He uses colour and textures in his glazes to add personality and infuse the work with stories and messages.

Browse Jack’s portfolio of work from the animal kingdom on his website.