Championing the very best independent ceramic makers for over 60 years

Contemporary Ceramics gallery and shop exhibits the greatest collectable names in British ceramics along with the most up and coming artists of today. Our distinguished makers are all carefully selected members of the Craft Potters Association.

 

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Meet Our Makers

All of our makers are members of the Craft Potters Association and each of them have a story to tell.

Ken and Valerie Shelton

Valerie studied fashion and textiles at Brighton and Bristol art colleges. Valerie’s art is about a combination of brushstroke and knowledge of colour acquired through a lifetime of painting. Ken learned to pot with potters in Bristol and London and has had a long association with potters throughout the country in his work for the craft ceramic materials industry and kiln manufacturing. 

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Toni de Jesus

Toni’s work and ethos is centred around the idea of ceramics and its strong association with craft – as a material and its context within the fine art spectrum. He is interested in the history and connotations of porcelain and terracotta. The materials as symbols of trade, status, function, hierarchy; all are factors which correlate with the constant debate regarding crafts and its position within today’s society.

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Lesley McShea

Lesley was born in Lancashire, England and is based in Stoke Newington in London.

She discovered ceramics at an early age, in Australia, where the textures and colours of the landscapes and terrain greatly influenced her. She studied firstly in Australia where she gained a Diploma (Distinction) in Ceramics at Caulfield Institute of Technology in 1982.

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Jessica Thorn

Jessica’s latest collection of porcelain plates showcases the importance of convivial connections between ceramics, food and community, which is at the heart of her practice. It was born from a need for playful experimentation, deftly embodying the freedom of making, unbounded by rules or functional constraints.

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Paul James

After completing an MA in Ceramics from the RCA in 1988, Paul moved to Italy and worked for Gucci on their home and perfume products, then into the world of leather goods and accessories. That seemed a natural progression from clay with his love of form, sculpture and respect for craftsmanship. This led to a 30-year career in Fashion accessories, moving to New York in the early 90s, becoming design director for Calvin Klein, Cole Haan, and COACH amongst others.

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Walter Keeler

Walter Keeler is a British studio potter specialising in salt glaze pottery. Named 'Welsh Artist of the Year' in 2007, Walter's work is held in public collections including Victoria & Albert Museum, American Craft Museum, New York, and the Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

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