I love seeing pottery become part of wider conversations, places and communities.
My work includes bespoke commissions for breweries and businesses, public demonstrations, hands on workshops, and creative sessions for children, families and community groups.
For me, clay is at its best when it feels both personal and shared. It can be functional, expressive, playful and grounding all at once. Whether I am making a piece for everyday use or helping someone discover the wheel for the first time, I want that experience to feel generous, approachable and genuinely enjoyable.
In March 2025, I opened my studio at Maws Craft Centre in Jackfield
Being based here feels especially meaningful because of the area’s rich history of making.
My work includes functional tableware, everyday cups and bowls, plates and vases. I love making pieces that feel good to hold and are made to be used and enjoyed in everyday life.
I was delighted to be featured in the Shropshire Star in an article about my journey into professional pottery and the long ceramics tradition connected to Ironbridge.
Read the article here
Pottery studio
Pottery has been part of my life from the very beginning. I grew up in the Forest of Dean where my dad Alistair Young set up his first pottery studio in 1978, producing wheel-thrown pottery.
He later led the ceramics department at The Royal Forest of Dean College, hosting international pottery conferences and workshops.
A Fellow of the Craft Potters Association, he has also worked with Royal Doulton and Asprey and authored Setting Up a Pottery Workshop.
His dedication to the craft, combining technical skill with curiosity and care, has been a lasting inspiration in my own work.
Pottery runs in the family
After 18 years of teaching teenagers, children and adults, I returned to my first love, the pottery wheel.
Before starting my business, I worked as a production potter at Whichford Pottery, near Stratford-upon-Avon, a family-owned pottery, renowned for its hand-thrown terracotta flower pots.
I learned traditional, production wheel-throwing techniques and produced flowerpots for projects including Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and National Trust gardens.
During my time there, I also witnessed the studio’s wider work, from Adam Keeling on The Great Pottery Throw Down to the production of large urns for the The Chelsea Flower Show, experiences that continue to inspire my work.