Stoneware rich by flame and ash
- Charlie honours the legacy of British master potters
- He aims to enhance daily rituals with his creations
- Local materials are at the heart of his practice
Charlie Collier’s path in ceramics began through extended traditional apprenticeships and tireless repetition. He studied under the watchful eyes of British master potters whose works set a standard he strives to honour. From frost-proof terracotta flowerpots to carefully thrown stoneware vessels, Charlie's practice values patience and form. Working with Cornish stoneware, local clay slips and wood ashes, he explores how local materials carry history and vitality. “I am keen to continue and promote the tradition of handmade pottery. It is important to look to the past to help inform the present," Charlie says. "Be it techniques of making, forms, decoration, glazes or kiln design, we can learn from the past masters and aim to evolve.”
Interview
- What draws you to everyday functional items?
- I am deeply inspired by homeware traditions across the world. My goal is for each of my pieces to radiate warmth and generosity, and invite people to experience a sense of care, connection and thoughtfulness alongside their functionality and design.
- How did your masters influence your pottery?
- I found my grounding in my apprenticeship at Whichford, where I threw thousands of flower pots under the guidance of Jim and Adam Keeling and the team. Potters like Mike Dodd and Richard Batterham taught me to respect raw materials, and demonstrated the patience needed to get the most out of them. A year working with Svend Bayer in Devon introduced me to wood firing.
- How do you fire your pots?
- My pots usually go through two firings: a bisque in electric, followed by a glaze firing in gas or wood. While electric and gas firings are more reliable, wood firings add a richness only flame and ash can create. Wood firing is always a team effort, with each party contributing skills and knowledge. This makes the shared experience as valuable as the results themselves.
- What role do local materials play in your pottery?
- They are central to my practice. I rely on Cornish stoneware clay, local clay slips and many kinds of wood ash which I prepare as glazes. I also use granite and slate powders from local quarries. These materials give my work its rooted character, as the pots are made of the land around them.
Charlie Collier is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2013
Where
Charlie Collier
