ZEITA
I make hand-built and wheel-thrown porcelain for everyday use — pieces to be handled, lived with and noticed. My work invites a slower pace: to feel the weight of a bowl, notice a rim in changing light, and enjoy the quiet presence of objects that become part of daily rituals.
I began working with clay while studying at the University of Ulster in the 1990s. After graduating I moved to Japan where, alongside teaching English, I was fortunate to study pottery with three different teachers. That period shaped not just my technique but my way of seeing. Back in the UK I completed a Masters at the Royal College of Art, then established my studio — first in London and now in Buckinghamshire. Alongside my practice, I’ve taught at several universities and I currently teach at Clay College in Stoke-on-Trent.
My journey into ceramics
Japan taught me to value useful objects — to respect them and to ask not “Do I like it?” but “How does it make me feel?” That question guides everything I make. I hope my pots act as quiet companions: grounding, familiar, and gently encouraging moments of attention and care.
PHILOSOPHY
I’m drawn to places where edges soften: the horizon, the tide, the changing moon. My father was a sailor; from him I learnt how the night sky guides, and how the moon commands the sea. That interdependence — sky, sea and shore in balance — sits behind much of my work. You won’t find literal waves or moons, but I hope the forms and surfaces carry their calm.
INSPIRATION
Process — balance between control and freedom
Many bowls combine press-moulded structure with thrown movement. I like to leave room for the pot to become itself — a slight irregularity, a change in rhythm. Porcelain has a strong “memory”: it remembers every touch and tries to return to it in the firing. Rather than fight that, I work with it, so no two pieces are ever identical — like two pebbles, related but never the same.
Mindful looking
The most meditative part of my practice is afterwards: placing finished pieces around the kitchen and living with them for a while. I watch how they sit in space and how the light changes them throughout the day. That quiet looking helps me understand the energy of a piece and guides what I make next.
Materials & sustainability
I fire a small electric kiln powered by a renewable energy supplier. My porcelain comes from France, so I use it carefully: trimmings become slip for coloured clays, and glazes are mixed from just four ingredients in small batches to avoid waste. The aim is a studio practice that’s thoughtful, efficient and in tune with the work itself.
Teaching
Teaching keeps me connected to new ideas and to the fundamentals of good making. I’ve taught across universities and I currently teach at Clay College, Stoke-on-Trent, which champions skills, discipline and the joy of working with clay.
Commissions & enquiries
If you’d like to buy a piece, ask about availability, or discuss a commission, please get in touch. Tell me which forms you’re drawn to (bowls, beakers, pourers, vessels) and I’ll share what’s in the studio or timelines for made-to-order work.