Bold,
slipware decorated ceramics
by Alex Nisbett
My work
These small terracotta bowls provide instant canvases for spontaneous decoration by trailing, dripping, pouring or brushing. Most are made in moulds and range in size from 12-25cm diameter.
Every single one of these beakers are different, and are 'hugged' by my hand whilst still soft, giving them their own dimples. Plenty of marks from the making process. 10-12 cm high and perfect for your favourite drink.
Decorating is fun, whether small or large like these serving bowls. Slabs of grogged terracotta laid into a large wooden mould, slip decorated with while and black slip then then left to gently dry and bisque fire before the honey glaze. 32cm diameter.
Slap built bud vases, super textured and chunky. They make the perfect canvas for bold brushed slip decoration, with highly visible drips and streaks. I've started turning some of them into table lamps. 25-35cm high.
About me
I trained originally as a graphic designer, and after a career working very deliberately and seeking perfection, I now find myself returning to my first love pottery, and the opportunity to enjoy imperfection, serendipity and generally going wherever the materials take me. This means each pot is as individual as the next.
I work mostly in terracotta, building by hand and at the wheel from my Suffolk workshop. The ceramics I make seem to be as much a canvas for bold decoration as they are functional objects in themselves, and are often covered with brush strokes, maker’s marks and raw mistakes that seem to tell the story of how the pot was made.
I particularly enjoy exploring the English slipware tradition, and would love to work even more closely with nature on whatever seems to make sense and bring joy.
Get in touch
If you’d like to receive occasional emails from me with news of where I’ll be, new work, updates to this website, or would like to talk about my ceramics, then I’d love to hear from you. Alex
