Collection: Sarah Partridge : Ceramicist : Maesycrugiau

I have been making pots for about 25 years, and have worked in Adult Education for 20 years, first as a Pottery Technician and then as a Ceramics Tutor. Originally from London, I moved to West Wales in 2017.

In my own work I am drawn to the tactile qualities of unglazed clay, and the endless possibilities of the material. These pieces are made from a white clay which is first biscuit fired, then fired again in a Raku kiln, outdoors.  At around 900° the pots are extracted from the kiln and placed into a metal bin,  onto a bed of sawdust which then ignites,  more sawdust is added, and the  carbon from the sawdust penetrates the surface of the clay, the pot is then completely buried in sawdust and only removed when cool.  The pieces are then cleaned, and polished with a little wax on the exterior. The interior is lined with liquid quartz, which creates a long lasting, non toxic, food safe and waterproof barrier so that the pieces can be functional.