JULIE BARHAM - CERAMICIST

I am a ceramicist and produce both tableware and pieces for the garden. What I love about pottery is the variety that it offers the maker. This may be in the type and colour of the clay, the different making techniques and also the range of colours, stains, tools and glazes that can be used to decorate.

I work with stoneware and white earthenware, using both hand building techniques and throwing on the wheel. I see the pot as a canvas for my designs, and I love the contrast between the bare clay and the coloured slips and glossy glaze.

My inspiration comes from the natural world, from plants and the landscape. I also love textiles, particularly of the 50s and 60s, when patterns were bold and colours bright. I admire the patterns that can be found in architecture, whether this be a beautiful ancient cathedral or an ultra-modern building. There are bold shapes and interesting patterns throughout our environment, and many colours and contrasts. These are the things that interest me and inspire my work.