Potters EMERGING
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Introduction The online pottery magazine
Welcome to the new edition of the magazine. In this edition we look at The Royal College of Art and their ceramic and glass show.
Also featured is Ceramic Art London (CAL) which must be one of the biggest independent selling shows in London. There is only the Potfest shows to rival them. CAL is still at the same venue which is still just as difficult to get to. Much can be said about the RCA venue also.
The magazine had to go to press just before the New Designers show in Islington. It is hoped to see a greater take-up of stands this year. It will be reviewed in the next magazine.
And sadly we have announce the passing of Kathryn Hearn. She was instrumental in establishing the international course in ceramics and design at the newly opened Central St Martins College in Kings Cross, London. In 2014 she invited the two master potters from Aylesford Pottery, Billy Byles and Alan Parris to visit the college and talk to the students. It was at this visit they were challenged to throw a teapot in just 60 seconds. Needless to say Billy Byles won the challenge.
With so many students showing this year it is hard to include everyone, so the choice is purely subjective and based on visiting the show.
“A new collection launched for this
Cover image shows Ben Cooper and Stuart Carey from Kiln Rooms in London.
Grant Davison RCA. In
Ceramic Art London
This is a major showpiece ceramic exhibition, and this year it celebrates 21 years. It is organized by the Craft Potters Association and has attracted makers from many parts of the world.
This year the show has welcomed around 6,000 visitors from over 30 countries. It now boats exceptional talent of its 120 plus makers.
Alongside the plethora of makers and their work there was a schedule of talks and workshops this year.
With so many people taking part this year it is not possible to include them all. Therefore it is my personal choice and does not reflect on all those taking part.
GoAby Guz
Gaby makes decorative , wheelthrown pieces using a saggar technique and naked raku. The lowtemperature firings allow for a smooth surface and absorb marks made by sm oke, copper, cobalt, steel and iron.
With continual experimentation using saggar firing she has developed a method which allows her to create the designs.The resultant colours such as siennas, ochres and umbers are an essential part of the work.
Gabyguzart.com- Collect Open
James Hake
James is another maker using the traditional wheel throwing techniques but decorated with oriental glazes.
The work ranges from huge platters and bottles to delicate bowls and tiny lidded jars.
He produces his work in series, making families of similar forms. Many of the pieces are made with local materials.
Jack Durling Ceramics
Jack is a sculptural ceramic maker who is based in Brighton on the south coast. He draws his inspiration from the natural world. He uses hollow forming techniques to construct each piece. Texture and form also play a major role, together with layered techniques and lustre accents.
In Ho Song
The work of In Ho Song is concerned with the imaginary of animals. He moulds rough shapes of the animals using handbuilt techniques. Then he draws the animals on them.
The subject is off a traditional Korean funeray figure, Kkokdu. It is a witty human-shaped wooden figure, which is known to take a role in sharing the happiness with the pasted ones and relieving their sorrows, coming and going between this world and the next world. He reconstructed the kkokdu with imaginary animals, instead of human characters.
Jemma Gowland Ceramics
Jemma has long been a champion of the long tradition of the porcelain figurine. Her work creates expressive and detailed porcelain figures which explore an upbringing and attitude, using cast doll faces, fired dressmaker’s pins and mixed media.
The figures show the girls dressed for display, as a pla ything, entertainment or ornament.
The work also describes strength, attitude, sisterhood and resistance, the mask as disguise to fit us into the world, and always stronger together.
Lucy Baxendale
Lucy uses surrealist automatism to create detailed drawings which become the starting point for her porcelain pieces.
Lucy explores the shifting relationships between the lines in her drawings to create the three dimensional work.
The outcome of these explorations are one-of-a -kind 3D drawings, intentionally unglazed and stained to echo the essnce of a sketch.
Using clay, she sculpts the figure and the face, capturing the essence of the universal human condition in its rawest sense. Oxides, slips and glazes are drawn into the surface of the clay creating textured, multilayered works of art which are highly emotive and full of energy.
Her knowledge of the material merges traditional making techniques with contemporary figurative ceramics, blurring the boundaries between studio ceramics and fine art sculpture.
Tim’s tabletop-sized porcelain sculptures of various component parts are arranged to create playful yet precarious architectural compositions.
The work brings together seemingly disparate forms and textures, from minimalist -inspired brutalism to the maximalism of Memphis design.
Conceptually the work reflects on the origins of brutalist architecture, exploring the experience and psychology of space, and the idea of utopia as the promise of something rather than the endpoint.
Tim Fluck Ceramics (Left)
Sharon Griffin
(above) Sue uses the traditional methods of hand-building to create her contemporary vessels and forms.. Once each form is produced she enjoys composing the surface textures, creating and removing layer upon layer to achieve a time-worn pa tina.
Her figures bring together bodies of clay, from coarse cranks used for their strength and texture, through to smooth earthenware and slips for detail and the soft surface. The imagery she uses is largely drawn from religious iconography and with a reference to nature.
Sue Mundy
Alison Coaten (left)
The shape of the wave is created using clay, a material aggregated into particles. The amplitude and period, which are the properties of waves, can be examined through the wave line expressed in formulas and coordinates. She creates a structure made up of wavy lines and exposes the clay particles completely on the surface. Through this, we seek to interpret and visualize physical concepts.
Salomonsson
She I a London-based Swedish ceramic artist. Inspired by Scandinavian folklore, and the way in which traditional story telling has been translated into modern mythology is a recurring theme in her work.
Ain Choi (left)
Hanna
(below)
Helen Rondell
Her sculptural pieces are all hand coiled. Each piece is built over several days and steadily grow and evolve into an individual unique form, curving and flowing causing shadows and openings within, exploring the negative space. They are then burnished, and raku fired using the ‘naked raku’ technique, which adds to the piece.
Sally MacDonell
Sally explores the human condition by modeling the female form. Drawing from visual anecdotes carefully collected and stored to later to emerge as figures., the everyday moments of human interaction being elevated from the ordinary into something special.
All the figures are hand-built using slabs of clay and coils. Modelling spontaneously from the inside, squeezing and pinching the clay together, before pushing out. Oxides, coloured slips and engobes are built up in multiple layers to create surfaces with depth.
Ceramic Art London took place in May 2025 at the Olympia West Exhibition Centre.
Over the last twenty-five years, Daniel had been focused on developing his salt glazed work in his studio in West Wales. He aspires to create contemporary work that push the boundaries of traditional salt glaze techniques.
Both vibrant slips and ash glazes are used encouraging the firing process to connect with the work. The fire leaves its mark on the ware –eroding, flooding and weathering their surfaces, producing pieces that are explored beyond their surfaces.
Daniel Boyle (above)
A Quiet Revolution
As revolutions go this one has been quiet, thoughtful and has had the most fundamental impact to the world of ceramics. Started by two people 10 years ago The Kiln Rooms has established a permanent and ever expanding base in South London.
Founded by Ben Cooper and Stuart Carey. The latter i s the potter who started experimenting at school aged 14, then studied at Glasgow School of Art before doing a Masters at the Royal College of Art ( RCA ). He specialises in tableware and production throwing – and is still making. However The Kiln Rooms, of which there are now fur across London takes up the majority of his time. Ben studied fine art then did an MA in arts managemen t. He's always worked in customer facing roles, managing bars and working in music venues.
International maker, Wendy Kershaw , commented, “I first met Stuart at Glasgow School of Art when he was a student. Even then he was hard working and keen. It is good to see how much progress his business has made. Both he and Ben have that ‘get up and go spirit to start The Kiln Rooms, and grow it providing a ceramic space for so many people”,
Left: Stuart starting out
Ben and Stuart during a Summer show
They met at the RCA in 2010 when Ben was managing the bar and events for the Student Union and Stuart worked in the bar. They became friends, who always thought that they'd open a bar together - but it turned into a pottery empire!
Apart from hard work and long hours what has made them successful? This is hard to answer but it must be a combination of the following – closure of traditional pottery classes run by local councils, a demand for studio space due to rental costs and availability, the rise in social media putting people together, the new demand for a creative environment for people who want more from their spare time and the impact tha t TV has had raising an awareness. The new buzz description has come to be ‘Open Access’ studios.
Ben commented, “Open access studios are relatively new in the UK - the emphasis is on community and the sharing of skills, knowledge and equipment. It's different from the master potter/ apprentices as we have something for people of all levels - you can start with a short course, move onto our twelve week courses before becoming a member. We've put a lot into the development of the members and staff, plus welcomed over sixty professional ceramicists to come give talks in the studios”.
But looking back over 10 years it has not always been easy. From when they first had the idea of working together it took a year before they eventually got the keys to their first studio. Finding the right space was the challenging part but they were in conversation with property agents Copeland Park in Peckham and eventually something came up.
Looking for studio space in London often involved them cycling around London chasing leads as it was the quickest way to get around and commercial spaces go quickly.
Now firmly established in London, Stuart commented, “We've grown gradually and organically over ten years. There's been no big leap at any point, so it's felt manageable. Pe ckham in South London is fantastic as it's got a rich cultural heritage and creative scene, therefore we have three studios there. People who come to us are a real range, all ages and backgrounds - but that's why it works” Their most recent opening is in Farringdon, central London.
Above: Local residents taking part in Hey Clay, a free workshop for people of all ages
International maker Kate Malone is a close friend of the studio and they work closely with her on the charity FiredUp4 which aims to bring pottery making to deprived children. They have supported it through students sales of work over the past tree years. Kate commented, “It has been an pleasure to watch Kiln Room grow and evolve, it is a wonderful celebration that they have been running now for 10 years. Congratulations to all involved to make it work. Building facilities to suit various levels of makers ability with the best interest of the Ceramic community top of their list.
The demise of government run evening classes, and even Ceramic departments in art colleges has been a very depressing factor to witness over the decades, however, many community workshops have opened and demand is very well serviced in a different and inspiring ways. It's hard to imagine what can replace a three -year degree course specialising in ceramics, however the various levels of facility that Kiln Rooms offer nurtures professionalism, they look after Ceramic needs of their community with inspired exc ellence. Kiln Rooms is a shining star within Art Ceramic community.
I believe there are over 80 spaces to learn and make ceramics in London alone these days, and many more fantastic ventures established in towns and cities across the country. Kiln Rooms is a flagship setup -up with a great philosophy and integrity and this is a great cause for celebration. Hooray for clay”.
Above: Kate Malone with Kiln Rooms members and staff
Stuart also has a close relationship with everyone on TV’s The Great Pottery Throwdown programme. He's a part of the production team and come up with the challenges. They also host the auditions for the show at the Peckham Studio.
Like so many business, one of their biggest challenges has been COVID. Ben explains, “It was tough. We didn't ask anyone to pay a penny towards membership if they didn't use the studio. During some of the lockdowns we could welcome a limited number of members to use the studio as it was classed as a 'place of work'. We had to make big changes in the studio and could only take on 50% of members”
With so much change bring opportunity for makers. The studio has found that there is a preference fo r tableware, but you'll find fine -art work amongst it. It's very difficult to gene ralise as they have people making all sorts, with different materials. If possible visitors are welcome to the annual sales of work throughout the year and gives an opportunity to experience the range of work. They do these twice a year. The summer show is slightly more of a 'showcase' whereas the Christmas Sale is slightly more driven towards tableware and Xmas gifts. There are between 80 -100 local makers who take part and 5% of all proceeds go to FiredUp4. There's a huge variety of different work on show and for sale across two sites in Peckham.
Left: Members working in the studio
Above: Work by Stuart Carey and Shane Keeling.
Scenes from the Open Weekend for the public , celebrating ten years of the studio in Peckham, London. Funds were raised for the charity FiredUp4.
And apart from all this activity across the studios what ha Stuart been involved in? As mention there is the TV work, but also there has been a book ‘From Clay to Kiln’ and recently a ‘one man show’ in Highgate, London.
Looking back has there been many changes? Ben commented, “We had sixty members and around seventy people enrolled on class in our first studio in 2015. Now, with 4 studios (3 of which are much bigger than the first studio) we have roughly one hundred and forty members and three hundred and fifty people enrolled in courses at any one time. Our team has grown massively too and we're much better set up than we were 10 years ago, with better systems, equipment, training, procedures etc”.
My memory of that opening night was being directed to a Peckham viaduct, which usually is the home of car repair shops and warehousing. Once inside you were hit by a large space, full of equipment and people involved in making, and a bright light. All seemed very inviting. It was 30th June 2015 and was sunny and warm. A busy day for all.
Notes
www.firedup4.com
www.katemaloneceramics.com
www.wendykershaw.org
The Kiln Rooms Festival – Ten Years in The making – ran from 5th June over three days
Member Exhibition – 80 -100 emerging makers, guest speakers, Master Sketches exhibition, community workshops and demonstrations.
Royal College of Art Ceramics & Glass (MA)
Once again the College shows why it has such a high international standing in the arts world. Students are attracted there form all over the world. The catalogue describes it as follows, “Many of those works shift from the formless to something form- full. But alongside, there are distinctly different strands of work where design is at play: tiles and vessels, light fittings, and bowls, all awaiting a different interaction with the body as part of the environmental fictioning of home and public spaces and pla ces” .
Annabelle Hall A Way of Seeing
Tzu Cheng Huang
Fragments of Becoming
Ceramics & Glass (MA)
Sophie Flathouse Table Manners: A Transfiguration
Yeonju Hong Stem
Ceramics & Glass (MA)
Anna Butler. A crown of Thornes
Zixuan Zhang. The Dialogue
Grany Davison In the Alchemical Garden
Lily Trnovsky. Brittle Glory
Leah Jelf. Bedtime Tiles
Ceramics & Glass (MA)
Emma Sproat Trinity (finally free from subjugation)
Harshena Kapoor.: Cocoons
Jiawen Li Fractures as Forms
Ceramics & Glass (MA)
Zoe Slater. Spalling Terrain 1
Claudia Barreira,, Kairos
Ceramics & Glass (MA)
Evguenia Ignatenko. Movement/Fragmemt
Evguenia is from Moscow, Russia. She communicates the entanglement between humans and materiality using photography, movement and participatory experiences. The work invites audiences to ‘make kin’ with thing-beings, such as clay, and reflects on how deep engagement with matter can recondition us towards care.
British Ceramics Biennial 2025
The British Ceramics Biennial’s (BCB) artistic programme is internationally recognised for its creative ambition and as a catalyst for positive change. Since 2009, the BCB has been helping to transform and regenerate Stoke-onTrent through its engaging year-round programme of artists’ commissions, learning and community projects, and with a vision of making change through clay. All this feeds into the Biennial programme.
The Programme
Award: British Ceramics Biennial’s headline exhibition celebrates the vitality of contemporary ceramics practice in the UK, with 10 artists selected from an open submission process to present ambitious new work and compete for the £10,000 BCB Award Prize. The 2025 Award artists are Kyra Cane, Fernando Casasempere, Noor Ali Chagani & Clio Lloyd-Jacob, Susan Hall, Leah Jensen, Charlotte Moore, Jane Perryman, Alison Rees, Daniel Silver and Jo Taylor. Award is the leading platform for contemporary ceramic practice in the UK.
Awarded: After winning the BCB Award Prize at the 2023 British Ceramics Biennial, Mella Shaw returns with a new work interrogating a little-known contribution to the global climate crisis. In this installati on, large hand-built ceramic structures and dramatic lighting will explore the ethics and impact of harvesting
polymetallic modules from the sea bed for use in electronics.
Fresh: The Fresh exhibition celebrates and promotes the new wave of artists working in clay. Twenty-five early career artists from the UK and Ireland are selected to take part, with four Fresh Talent Prizes given out during the Biennial. The 25 artists will be announced in the summer.
Fresh Talent: During the 2023 Biennial, five Fresh Talent Prizes were given to artists from Fresh, which included residencies with University of Staffordshire, Guldagergaard International Ceramics Research Center, Grymsdyke Farm, BCB Studio and Bolesławiec Cultural Centre . The artists showing the outcome of their residencies are Tim Fluck, Caroline Gray, Andrea Leigh, Chi Onwordi and Krzysztof Strzelecki.
People & Place Commission: BCB’s People & Place Commission sees artist Josie KO exploring the role of Black women in Stoke-onTrent in The Chimney Princess. Inspired by the shape of Stoke-on-Trent’s iconic bottle kilns, Josie KO will create a new goddess for the city in collaboration with local communities. Standing five feet tall and hand built from black clay, the deity figure will be displayed ‘dancing’ on a spinning turntable in an installation setting inspired by Stoke-on-Trent’s Trentham Gardens.
Playscape: This experimental rammed earth architecture project is a response to learning that the central area of Stoke town currently lacks adequate children’s play facilities. Playscape is a collaboration between BCB Associate Artist Sarah Fraser, Tuckey Design Studio, rammed earth construction specialist Sami Akkach and University of Staffordshire Architecture students that will transform construction clay spoil into a children’s play space. Following a pilot phase, a temporary playscape environment will be shown at the Biennial, to test and inform an ambition to create a permanent rammed earth playscape for Stoke town. During BCB, families will be able to engage with the project and the rammed earth process in the engagement space.
Raverina’s Dance Floor: This interactive, sensory art installation by Portuguese artist Carolina Garfo is inspired by the ceramic practices of the Algarve and explores the intersection between sound and ceramics. The installation features a wave pool initiating a sound artwork with a projection of the artist’s fictional documentary film, ‘Raverina’.
Clay Films: This new element of the Biennial programme is an open submission opportunity for Global Majority artists of African and Caribbean heritage based anywhere in the world who work in film and clay. A panel of film experts, artists and curators will select 10 works for screening. Clay Films has been devised to reflect the expanding range of ways that artists work with clay, in this case showcasing the high quality of artist film work being made – an area of practice which has to date received limited exposure.
Ceramic Cities Exchange international partnership: This creative exchange programme connects Stoke-on-Trent with Bolesławiec, Poland - two cities sharing a rich ceramic heritage. The exchange will be captured in a film presented at the 2025 Biennial. Ceramic Cities Exchange is part of the British Council UK Poland Season 2025. BCB’s partnership with The Museum of Ceramics in Bolesławiec supports six artists aged 18–24 to gain international exposure and explore how ceramics heritage informs contemporary practice.
Clay Conference: From Waste to Resource: Circular Economies For Construction Clay Spoil
This conference, taking place on 2 October, forms a key part of British Ceramic Biennial’s 19-month research initiative focused on the creative re-use of construction clay spoil. The project explores the opportunities and challenges of re-using clay sourced from UK construction spoil across a range of scalesfrom individual artists and local communities to large-scale industrial applications.
Led by Claire Baily, a London-based artist, researcher and educator, the conference will present the research findings and build on its ideas through presentations, panel discussions and keynote speeches.
Slip Tales: Part of BCB’s year-round programme working with community groups in Stoke-on-Trent, Slip Tales is an exploration and appreciation of the history and heritage of Staffordshire slipware, which originated in the mid-17th C entury as elaborately decorated dishes with a distinctive application of the surface pattern design.
• UK’s single largest ceramics event returns to Stoke-on-Trent from 6 September to 19 October
• New works in clay by over 60 international artists animate post-industrial site of Spode factory
• Construction clay spoil transformed into children’s play area for major new commission
• 2025 programme delves into environmental impact of clay and ceramic production
Today British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) launches the full programme for its ninth edition, taking place from 6 September to 19 October 2025, with six weeks of free exhibitions, screenings, talks and events dispersed across the former Spode factory site in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent.
The participants have created contemporary interpretations of slipware for this project, learning new clay skills and processes and exploring materials. By bringing people together in a creative setting, this collective, positive process supports the building of community cohesion and support networks. Their contemporary interpretations will be shown at the Biennial.
Engagement
space and events programme
Throughout the British Ceramics Biennial there will be a diverse talks and events programme through which visitors can explore and experience clay for themselves and share ideas and inspiration.
www.britishceramicsbiennial.com
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Award 2025 selection panel: Award exhibitors are selected by a panel of leading professionals who are advocates for contemporary art and making, and who bring a variety of perspectives to the decisionmaking process. The 2025 panel was led by Alun Graves (Chair), Senior Curator of Ceramics at the Victoria and Albert Museum, with artist and judge of The Great Pottery Thrown Down, Rich Miller; artists Mella Shaw and Matt Smith; and Clare Wood, Artistic Director & Chief Executive of British Ceramics Biennial.
About British Ceramics Biennial:
British Ceramics Biennial is an arts organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent with a vision of making change through clay.
BCB develops, sustains and expands innovative ceramics practice and improves lives together with artists and creative communities. This is done by delivering an engaging yearround programme of artist commissions, learning and community projects. These feed into a contemporary ceramics biennial that takes place in Stoke-on-Trent.
Initiated in 2009, BCB has grown to be the single largest contemporary ceramics event in the UK. The Biennial presents artworks from the UK’s leading ceramicists alongside work by international artists, in exhibitions and special events held across the city every two years.
BCB works in partnership with organisations and individuals in the cultural, industry, business, education, community and voluntary sectors in the development and delivery of projects with a particular focus on public engagement.
British Ceramics Biennial funders:
British Ceramics Biennial is proud to be an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and is supported by the Stoke-on-Trent City Council and University of Staffordshire, alongside multiple project-based funders and sponsors.
Contemporary Ceramics
63 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury London WC1B 3BF
Paul Jackson & Richard Phethean.
New work. 26 June – 19 July
Paul Jackson has developed various ranges of highly decorated ware. More recently, Paul has been influenced by Russian and Islamic art forms and this process can be seen in the painterly abstraction on some of his decorative motifs.
The driving force behind all Paul’s work is energy which expresses his Cornish surroundings with their strong sense of colour and style.
Paul uses white earthenware to construct his energetic and sinuous forms. The clay allows for the dynamic shaping of the pieces which form the vessels. They go on to be given diverse and colourful decoration.
Richard Phethean is a long-established professional potter whose work has been exhibited and collected widely across the UK and Europe.
He is a Fellow of, and previous Chair of the Craft Potters Association, a member of the Cornwall Crafts Association and of the Penwith Society of Artists.
Maki ng thrown, altered and assembled vessels in coarse textured red and black earthenware clays he decorates his pieces using brushed slips and resist techniques.
His current work combines references to ancient pottery, European slipware traditions and early twentieth century abstract painting.
British Studio Pottery
V&A
Museum, South Kensington, London
The V&A describes their current show as follows: Studio pottery – ceramics made by independent artist potters – emerged as a distinct art form in the 1910s and 20s. This display explores the V&A’s collecting and exhibiting of studio pottery from the movement’s beginnings to the present day.
The show closes on Sunday 28 th September 2025.V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Room 146. Free.
Images are copyright of Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Opposite:
Above: Tree of Life, large dish, Bernard Leach, 1923
Top: Cornucopia, Richard Slee, 1983
Plate from The Cook Service, Matt Smith, 2020
V&A East Storehouse
• For the first time, visitors can step inside V&A East Storehouse – the V&A’s unique museum experience and busy working store designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro
• Visitors can now get closer to their national collections than ever before through the V&A’s radical new Order and Object experience – now live
• Over 1,000 objects ordered so far – with the most-ordered object a 1954 Balenciaga evening dress
• The largest Pablo Picasso work in the world – the rarely displayed Ballets Russes Le Train Bleu stage cloth – is now display for the first time in over a decade alongside a series of monumental objects from architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office to the 15th century Spanish Torrijos Ceiling
…East Storehouse
On Saturday 31 May 2025, the V&A’s new working store and visitor attraction, V&A East Storehouse, opened its doors to the public for the first time following 10 years of planning and extensive audience consultation, with input from V&A East’s Youth Collective. Designed by world- renowned architects Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, it opened as part of East Bank, the new cultural quarter in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park supported by the Mayor of London.
A ground-breaking new museum experience spanning four levels, and at 16,000m2 –bigger than 30+ basketball courts – V&A East Storehouse takes over a large section of the former London 2012 Olympics Media and Broadcast Centre (now Here East). It is a new purpose-built home for over 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 Archives.
A world-first in size, scale and ambition, and new source of inspiration for all, V&A East Storehouse immerses visitors in over half a million works spanning every creative discipline from fashion to theatre, streetwear to sculpture, design icons to pop pioneers. A busy and dynamic working museum store with an extensive selfguided experience, visitors can now get upclose to their national collections on a scale and in ways not possible before.
Tim Reeve, Deputy Director and COO, V&A, who developed the concept for V&A East Storehouse, said: “V&A East Storehouse is a completely new cultural experience and backstage pass to the V&A, transforming how people can access their national collections on a scale unimaginable until”.
Through the V&A’s radical new Order an Object service, anyone can now book to access any object at V&A East Storehouse, for free, seven-days-a-week. From Mid-Century furniture to ancient Egyptian shoes and Roman frescoes, an early 14th century Simone Martini painting, Leigh Bowery costumes, Althea McNish fabrics, vintage band t-shirts and performance posters, and avant-garde fashion and couture from Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, Comme des Garcons, Issey Miyake and Vivienne Westwood, there’s something for everyone to explore.
Since going live on 13 May, over 250 appointments have been booked to see over 1,000 objects from 14th century and contemporary ceramics to a 17th century carpet from Iran, 1930s wedding dresses and Julia Margaret Cameron photographs. So far, the most popular item ordered is a 1954 pink silk taffeta evening dress by Cristóbal Balenciaga.
From the moment they emerge into the central Weston Collections Hall, visitors will be captivated by stunning vistas across all levels, surrounded by a cross-section of the V&A’s collections. Spanning ancient Buddhist sculpture to PJ Harvey’s guitar, paintings by Angelica Kauffman’s circle, costumes worn by Vivien Leigh, works by Sir Frank Bowling and Hew Locke , items from the Glastonbury Music Festival, Suffragette scarves, vintage football shirts, Thomas Heatherwick’s model for the London 2012 Olympic Cauldron and road signs designed by Margaret Calvert, visitors can take their own path through over 100 mini curated displays hacked into the ends and sides of the storage racking.
New Designers Celebrates 40 Years of Nurturing UK
Creative Talent Week 1: 2 – 5 July 2025 | Week 2: 9 – 12 July 2025
Location: Business Design Centre, London, N1 0QH
● New Designers marks a major milestone in 2025, celebrating 40 years of emerging creative talent with a special alumni group featuring established artists, designers and makers from across all four decades, including Benjamin Hubert, Hannah Martin, Margo Selby, Jo Barnard, Peter Ting and Ikuko Iwamoto.
● The popular ND Selects returns, showcasing and selling over 20 emerging independent designers and makers across the two -week exhibition.
Above (from left): New Designers’ alumni – Ikuko Iwamoto, Benjamin Hubert, Jo Barnard, Hannah Martin, Elliot Brook, Margo Selby, Darren Appiagyei and Peter Ting (Photo: Mark Cocksedge)
Book Review Ceramics: A Green Approach
By Kevin Millward (Part of The New Ceramics series).
Published on 21 August 2025. Paperback. 224 pages. £25. ISBN: 978178994:1944. Published by the Herbert Press, part of the Bloomsbury Publishing.
Being a green potter is not an easy feat. Historically, a lot more attention is given to the finished pieces coming out of the kiln rather than to the damages made throughout the designing and making processes. However, as we progress into the twenty first century, and our awareness of our impact on the environment increases, caring for our planet in the studio has never been more important.
In this book, Kevin Millward explores how potters and ceramicists can be more responsible in sourcing and using the planet's finite resources. With tips for the whole making process such as firing, choosing fuels, extracting clays and raw materials, reclaiming water and glazes, disposing of ceramic materials, packing and shipping, this is a comprehensive guide to producing extraordinary pieces.
By accepting and embracing a green approach in ceramic processes, we are setting out an example for future generations and paving the way for a more creative and respectful industry.
The book is available on the publishers website: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ceramics-a-green- approach-9781789941944/
There will be a full review of the book, the work, and the man in the next edition of the magazine. It must be one of the most important books on ceramics and where the ceramic industry needs to change.
Book Review
Une Histoire
Mondiale De LA Ceramique
If you would like to try something a bit different here is a French book which gives an overview to the history of ceramics from around the world.
Pyramyd Editions. Available from Amazon in this the UK.
ISBN : 978-2-35017-617-8
