Objects designed to last several lifetimes
- Cath and Jeremy craft objects made to last and to enjoy daily
- Their skill in casting bone china was passed on to them by several master potters
- Through this traditional craft, they cultivate timeless and modern design
At Feldspar, traditional techniques and approaches to ceramic production are retained by Cath and Jeremy Brown, the studio’s founders. From revelling at their grandparents' crockery to designing their first coffee mug at home together, the couple's journey into their craft emerged object by object. Leaving behind careers in London for the open moorlands of Devon, their studio now holds a place as one of the last remaining producers of slip-cast fine bone china in the UK. “It is so important that the hand is evident in everything we create, as a link between the user and the maker,” they explain. Currently designing a sink and tiles for the interior of a self-built tree house, everything they do, whether for their family home in Devon or the marketplace, is designed thoughtfully by hand to be treasured for generations.
Interview
- What was the first object you ever made?
- When we moved to London, Jeremy fixed a broken coffee machine that a friend gave us. After that, we started caring about mugs. We tried different designs, pondering each one’s effect on the coffee drinking ritual. After many trials, we created a bone china mug with small thumb-sized dimples.
- What draws you to the materials that you work with?
- We love fine bone china for its strength and elegance. It can be cast so finely that it is translucent when lit from within but opaque by day. All it needs is a transparent glaze to bring out its brightness and a hand-painted banding in another colour for contrast.
- Where did your ethos “objects for life” emerge from?
- We were inspired by objects our grandparents used, which were tens or hundreds of years old. Importantly though, we did not want to make the type of china that is only for ‘special occasions’, but rather for every day—made to use and to last several lifetimes.
- Is your inspiration linked to a particular place?
- We are very lucky to live in Devon, where fields, farms, and moorland surround us. We have lots of space to think and sketch. When designing a new product, we always try to capture the essence of these first sketches (which are often inspired by sketches in our children's books, too!).
Jeremy & Cath Brown are expert artisans: they began their career in 2015
Works
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Jeremy & Cath Brown
