INTRODUCTION
Through work and personally I am fortunate to meet many inspiring creatives. Some are managing small, one person businesses, and others have developed their vision into highly successful, globally recognised brands. The reality of running a business - it’s incredible, empowering and hugely rewarding, it is also very challenging … persistence, kindness, a solution driven attitude and positivity always wins.
It’s the inaugural launch of our Creative Business Masterclass this autumn - where I will be sharing my early fears and struggles, how I overcame these, along with all the solutions I have learnt to truly support creatives in business. In the lead up, I am excited to explore the people behind a huge variety of different creative businesses, including floristry. To understand what drives them, the challenges they have faced, the solutions they have found and what they love most about their work.
In our first Meet the Creative, we introduce you to potter, Eliza May and we also look at a choice of vessel options from her collection, created in her home studio in the Cotswolds, UK, for winter flowers and potted bulbs. Eliza’s story will be relatable to so many - having an early dream of working in a creative field, it then took several years before that dream was finally realised … with a different career path and initially dedicating her time to her young family.
Eliza shares how she created her studio, who inspires her and how she became a ceramicist in our Q&A.
I hope you find Eliza’s story inspiring and the vessel ideas helpful for winter designs …
THE BEGINNING & TODAY
I first met Eliza about ten years ago, when we both lived close to Lewes in East Sussex, with our young families. Over a number of dinners, I remember Eliza talking passionately about her longing to be a ceramicist and to set up her own pottery studio.
Eliza studied pottery at art college, she then followed a different career path, after which she spent a number of years looking after her children. As her children grew a little older and she thought about returning to work, she happened across a ceramicist at a local market, they spoke at length and he kindly offered her his studio to practice … her original passion for pottery was relit and she was ready to return to her creative work. Following a move to the Cotswolds, their new family home came with a small derelict barn in the garden, which gave Eliza the perfect working space.
Today Eliza creates bespoke tableware for local restaurants and gastropubs, her collection is stocked by small independent suppliers throughout the UK and larger retailers, including Daylesford Organic, where you can find her bowls and pots in both their Cotswolds and London shops. Eliza also sells her work directly to customers, online via her website.
INSPIRATION & STYLE
I adore the relaxed, organic shape of Eliza’s pots, and the neutral tones she prefers. They work perfectly with the natural elegance of designs that I tend to create, both at home and for clients.
As every piece is handmade on the wheel in her home studio, this makes each pot, bowl, jug and cup completely unique, and even more special. Knowing that Eliza is naturally positive (I have rarely seen her without a smile!), unbelievably kind and incredibly passionate about her work, it makes her pieces a real joy to use for flower arrangements.
You can see a few suggestions further below of ways to use Eliza’s bowls, pots and jugs in your designs.
Eliza will be launching her own website later this year, which you will be able to buy directly from, and in the meantime simply contact her directly via Instagram - @elizamaypottery.
THE STUDIO
Eliza’s home studio sits at the end of her garden, in the village of Wigginton. It was was previously a derelict barn, into which Eliza installed power and water, she insulated the ceiling, whitewashed the walls and added a level concrete floor. She has kept many of the previous features, including the overhead roof windows, which flood the room with natural light, and the recycled shelving, which she uses to store pieces, before they are packaged, ready to send to customers. It’s a calm, rustic space, where Eliza is able to immerse herself fully in her creative work. The space is also reflective of her design aesthetics … practical, calm and beautiful.
big goals - small steps
Eliza’s big goal to date has been to be stocked in multiple retail stores. It took a few years to make the first stockist a reality. The first step was to contact the retailers via social media, sending a polite and friendly message, with key points about her products and the aspects she loved about the retailers, explaining why she felt it would be a good match. After this step, she would meet the main contact, either in her studio or at their head quarters/shop taking example products with her, to show.
Eliza’s main goal today is to be recognised as a potter further afield. Most people locally know and will recognise Eliza’s pottery and style, and it will be amazing when this becomes a much wider audience.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
We invited our Newsletter subscribers to ask Eliza their questions, to gain a deeper understanding into her journey, an insight into her craft and creative inspiration.
Join our Newsletter below to hear more about our Meet the Creative programme - plus floristry step-by-step guides and further creative business insights- and take part in the next Meet the Creative Q&A.
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The space was pretty derelict before we transformed it, although the actual structure was there. We tiled the floor, with underfloor heating, insulated the roof and walls and added boarding to the walls. We whitewashed the walls and ceiling, including the stone. We retained the original shelves and added extra. I used to listen to the radio, but now I actually prefer listening to my wheel as I produce the pieces. I enjoy the sound of glazing too; I can concentrate fully without any distractions. I’m also a very calm and laid-back person, which helps!
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My previous careers were quite varied. following art college, I completed three ski seasons as a chalet girl. I then moved to London, and worked in a Trust Fund firm. When I had my first two children, I worked as a childminder, with up to five young children at a time. The main skills I have learnt are organisational skills and patience! You can’t rush pottery. It was also good to learn computer skills from my office job in London, which has helped me enormously with the admin side of my business.
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I completed a foundation art course at Bristol School of Art and Design, and I was lucky to do a GCSE and A-level in ceramics at school. My final piece at college was in ceramics. I made a large, coiled urn which is currently in my garden, using Raku clay and a clear glaze. Anyone can become a ceramicist – it’s just practice!
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There’s no particular artist who influences me, however, I spent time as a child in Zimbabwe. Simple, organic, African forms of earthenware clay have always been a favourite of mine. I enjoy visiting museums and galleries and I gain inspiration from seeing different artists’ expressions, in a variety of different mediums and materials.
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The earlier restaurants and retailers who currently stock my work were local, it was just a question of making contact with them and meeting in person for a presentation of my work. I did the same further afield and it spiralled from there. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, so be brave, go in person and show them your wares with passion and pride!
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I’m lucky to have a husband who acts as my marketing manager and handles most of my social media. He works as a creative director in the tile industry (yup, we’re both in ceramics!) so knows how to style and design photos for my Instagram. The most important things to me as I create my new website is to be clear, clean and interesting. I want customers to really get a sense of what they’re purchasing through the website. And to be satisfied that what they see is what they get.
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Early morning school run, sometimes followed by the gym/pool, then home for work, either on the computer or in the studio. In the studio, there is always something to do, whether it’s making pieces on the wheel, turning pieces on the wheel, making up balls of clay ready for the wheel, recycling the clay, rubbing pieces down ready for the first firing, glazing, emptying and filling the kilns, packing boxes ready for deliveries, and keeping the studio clean and relatively tidy. Then the afternoon school run with after school clubs most days. Once home with three children, supper, chat about their day and help with homework. By this point I’m normally ready to crash, but I often have to go out to check on the kilns or finish those last pieces so I can turn them the following day. I’ve been known to be in the studio until 10pm. My husband and I share the kids’ bath time and bedtime, particularly when I’ve got deadlines to meet.
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I feel work/life balance works well for me. We spend time as a family at the weekends and I get support from my entire family. I do feel blessed.
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My favourite piece to look at has to be my giant bowl. I can only fit three of them in my large kiln at a time. They’re a mission to make and glaze but I love them. My favourite pieces to make are the cappuccino cups and the small bowls. I can churn them out and find them enjoyable and easy to make.
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That’s a great question. I used to love making different pots from coiling and being quite creative on the wheel, and I did feel a little disappointed at one point to the realisation that I’m a production potter now. However, selling a piece that I’ve personally made, with some positive feedback is so satisfying and rewarding it keeps my morale up and keeps me enjoying what I do. I love my job!
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My inspiration comes from pieces I have seen in a museum or gallery. Or someone asks me to create something similar to something they’ve seen. I like my pieces to be functional or have a dual purpose, like the cappuccino cup and macchiato cup being pots for a plant or a cup to drink from, the jugs being used as vases, the tall straight sided vase as a wine cooler. I feel everything I make needs to have a purpose and can be used again and again.
POTTERY IN THE FLOWER STUDIO
Below are examples of how best to use four of Eliza’s vessels, with flowers and potted bulbs, during the winter months.
POTTERS we LOVE
An evolving list of additional potters we love, from around the world; all their work is beautifully unique, their creative work comes from the heart, created with passion, and their pieces are both practical (often delicate, yet robust) and great for everyday, beautiful floral designs.