My Studio Journal #2
Friday, 17. October 2025
Warm Greetings from My London Studio
This week, the studio was full of clay snakes once more. I’ve been exploring how their forms can wrap around vessels, not only as decoration but as structure. The more I play, the more I see how movement and texture tell their own quiet story. In addition, I stepped a little outside my comfort zone and tried something completely different.
At the Studio Table
I made a tall pitcher and a smaller mug where the snake itself becomes both handle and, in the pitcher’s case, the spout. I began by pressing lace into the clay, letting its delicate pattern play against the sinuous coils of the snakes. The combination feels unexpectedly elegant - soft and strong at once.
Work in Progress
In addition to the clay work, I tried something entirely new this week, not pottery at all. I’d seen a few videos about gelli plates and printmaking on my feed and decided to give it a go. I started by making my own plate (you can find a recipe here) and made a few first prints that turned out much better than expected.
The process is completely different from painting. It’s more spontaneous, and it forces you to rethink composition. Instead of starting with the background, you begin with the smallest details and build the layers in reverse.
Making your own gelli plate was definitely fun experiment, but not very durable. After three uses, mine needed to be melted down and recast (which you can easily do, though I’m not sure the effort is worth it, to be honest). So I’ve decided to switch to a store-bought one for future experiments.
From the Kiln
Nothing new from the kiln this week, my latest pieces are on the thicker side and still need more drying time. There’s no rushing pottery, after all. It was actually a welcome change to have a project like the gelli plates, something you can start and finish in a single day. I’m still firmly committed to clay, of course, but it’s refreshing to step sideways now and then and explore new ideas. I’m looking forward to sharing more soon.
Until next week, may your days hold space for making and meaning.
