Our Apprentices | adoptapotter.org.uk

Liu Qian

Qian found clay as her medium in early 2019 and has been studying pottery since then, initially at CityLit and then at the Forest Row School of Ceramics. She met her host potter, Tom Knowles Jackson at Oxford Ceramic Fair in 2022 and was inspired by his work, his philosophy of making and the way he manages his studio to benefit his local ceramic community.

During her apprenticeship at The Clay Loft, Qian aims to discover and develop her own style as well as learning the myriad skills that a potter needs to grow from amateur to professional.

You can follow her diary of her apprenticeship on Instagram qian.ceramics

Past apprentices

Lexie Macleod (2021)

Lexie worked with Richard St John Heeley at Hempmill from January 2021 after graduating from the DCCOI Ceramics Skills Course in December 2020. While still on the course, she met Richard at CAL and spent her summer holiday working as his assistant.

During her apprenticeship at Hempmill, she gained knowledge and skills in production throwing, woodfiring, how to run a pottery business and how to build kilns. You can see her progress on Instagram lexiemacleodpottery

Natasha Wightman (2020)

Natasha worked with Sabine Nemet and Nic Collins in Devon. You can see images from her apprenticeship on Instagram natashawightmanceramics

Bridget Timoney (2019)

Bridget worked with Julie Ayton in Salisbury. She has recently set up her own studio. You can see images from her apprenticeship on Instagram bridget.timoney. Her website is bridgettimoney.com

Rebecca Thornton (2018)

Becca worked with James and Tilla Waters in Carmathenshire. She is now a picture researcher at the National Gallery. You can see images from her apprenticeship on Instagram thornton.becca

Peter Montgomery (2018)

Peter worked with Svend Bayer at Kigbeare, where he helped to build the anagama kiln . After his apprenticeship finished, he stayed on to make his own work and to teach at Kigbeare Studios. In July 2020, he moved to Innsbruck, Austria to establish his own studio. His website is montgomeryporcelain.com or you can follow him on Instagram Petermontgomery

Joseph Fuller (2017)

Joseph undertook an apprenticeship at Winchcombe Pottery, under the expert tutelage of Matt Grimmitt and John Forster. On completion of his apprenticeship at the end of November 2017, he stayed on as the third member of the production team. You can follow him on Instagram joseph.frank.fuller and read about the historic Winchcombe pottery, established in 1926 by Michael Cardew at winchcombepottery.co.uk

Isatu Hyde (2016)

Isatu trained as a production potter with Andrew Crouch at The Marches Pottery in Ludlow, Shorpshire. In 2020, she set up her own workshop in rural Herefordshire, where she makes functional pots, unglazed cookware and individual pieces. Her instragram is isatuhyde