Our Apprentices | adoptapotter.org.uk

Mollie Milton

Mollie worked with clay during her Fine Art Sculpture degree and after graduation found herself more and more focused on making functional work. She did a week's throwing course with Richard Phethean in early 2023 and then moved from Sheffield to Cornwall in February to work at Tresabenn Pottery as a part-time assistant.

She applied for the AaP bursary to support becoming a full-time apprentice. During her apprenticeship, she intends to expand her throwing skills to a professional standard and develop a greater dexterity with slip application and brushwork and to develop her use of colour, surface and mark-making, as well as learning the practical business, sales, marketing and networking skills needed to sustain a successful career in pottery.

You can follow her apprenticeship on Instagram molliemilton

Past apprentices

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. Her apprenticeship with Tom will continue this year, and she is currently spending four months in Australia with Steve Sheridan.

You can follow the diary of her apprenticeships on Instagram 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, Shorpshire. 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