Our Apprentices | adoptapotter.org.uk

Matty Lewandowski

Matty completed a BA in 3D Design and Craft at Brighton University. She started working with Lisa Hammond in January 2024, then spent three months in Japan, assisting at the studio of Taiga Mori in Bizen, where she helped with everything from a three-day noborigama wood firing to leak-testing to pruning peach trees.

She hopes that her apprenticeship at Maze Hill will give her the necessary time and space to develop and become more consistent in her practice and to allow her making skills, creativity and business skills to flourish and develop symbiotically.

You can follow her apprenticeship on Instagram: mattydowski

Past apprentices

Mollie Milton (2024)

After graduating from her Fine Art Sculpture degree, Mollie moved from Sheffield to Cornwall to undertake a two-year apprenticeship with Richard Phethean at Tresabenn Pottery.

During her apprenticeship, she expanded her throwing skills to a professional standard, and developed a greater dexterity in her use of colour, surface decoration and mark-making, as well as learning the practical business, sales, marketing and networking skills needed to sustain a successful career in pottery. She continues to work at Tresabenn on her own work.

Her website is mollie-milton.com and her Instagram is molliemilton

Liu Qian (2023)

Qian 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. After her apprenticeship with Tom, Qian spent four months in Australia working with Steve Sheridan. She now has a beautiful studio at The Fold, Bransford.

Qian's website is qianceramics.com and her Instagram is qian.ceramics

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. She now has her own studio in the Highlands where she makes Hakeme Slipware designed for everyday use.

Her website is lexiemacleodpottery.com and Instagram is lexiemacleodpottery

Natasha Wightman (2020)

Natasha worked with Sabine Nemet and Nic Collins in Devon. She makes wood fired and soda glazed tableware on Dartmoor, and has recently built her own kiln.

You can see images from her apprenticeship on Instagram natashawightmanceramics

Bridget Timoney (2019)

Bridget worked with Julie Ayton in Salisbury. She now has her own studio in Dorset where she makes functional pots, beautifully decorated with traditional techniques like sgraffito, inlay and paper resist.

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.

In 2022, he left to set up his own workshop at home in the Cotswolds, where he makes wheel-thrown, stoneware pottery.

You can follow him on Instagram joseph.frank.fuller

Isatu Hyde (2016)

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

Her website is isatuhyde.com and her instragram is isatuhyde