Meet the lovely Kate Thorburn: a Yorkshire-based surface pattern designer with a background in both ceramic and card design. Kate completed her MA in ceramic design at Staffordshire University in 2007 and successfully launched her own range of ceramics, ‘What Kate Loves’, at Top Drawer in 2014. All her ceramics are proudly made in Stoke-on-Trent at The Royal Overhouse Manufactory for Designers at Royal S tafford. Here she shares more about her life and loves…
Inspiration, design process and manufacturing a range… A lot of the inspiration for my work comes from nature. I’ve always been drawn to organic forms like the patina on stone walls, the texture of old wood, and the patterns on leaves and wild flowers. Travel is also very important to me. In this high-pressured, fast-moving world we need to make time to get out and explore. When I was little my parents would take me to the wilds of the British countryside, and I still love to roam free in places like the Yorkshire Dales and the Scottish Highlands. I feel such a sense of peace there. Sometimes I’ll spend hours just walking through a field and taking endless photos of plants and butterflies along the way. There’s so much undisturbed beauty in nature. I studied in Stoke-on-Trent, where I discovered amazing potteries such as Burleigh Pottery in Middleport (www.burleigh.co.uk), which I find so inspiring. Unfortunately Stoke has been hit hard by the decline of British manufacturing, which has led to the closure of mines, steelworks and factories. Although much of the town is now boarded up I have faith that one day it will return to its former glory. The history of the industry is really important to me, so I’d always recommend visiting places like the Wedgwood Museum (www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk) where you can learn more about ceramic traditions and heritage. You can also pick up great bargains at Royal Doulton (www.royaldoulton.co.uk), Portmeirion (www.portmeiriongroupfactoryshops.co.uk) and Emma Bridgewater (www.emmabridgewater.co.uk) factory shops.
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