what is your name? House of Encre
where are you based? Suffolk, UK
what do you specialise in? Art prints and originals for the home
how and when did you get into it? I started the business little over a year ago, I have always made art privately and once becoming a mother I needed more of an outlet. I spent more time looking at building a home with artwork for my daughter to learn from and somehow started to get messages from people to buy them.
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Muted, abstract and accessible
what is your name? James Moffatt
where are you based? Milton Keynes, UK
what do you specialise in? Wheel throw functional and decorative ceramics with the odd slab built piece.
how and when did you get into it? I was only initially looking for a class to break the week up a few years back & had always wanted to try pottery so I signed up for evening class at a local art centre. I then went on to take wheel focused classes. I never set out for pottery to be anything more than a hobby, yet it quickly became an obsession.
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Subtle, simple and useful
what is your name? Lex Pott
where are you based? Rotterdam, Netherlands
what do you specialise in? At this moment candles, but I would say material exploration.
how and when did you get into it? My parents are both artists. I wanted to do the same but then with function involved. Someone told me once to look at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Then I knew this is it!
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Form, function and fun
what is your name? Caroline Taylor
where are you based? South East London, UK
what do you specialise in? Functional hand built ceramics in high fired stoneware.
how and when did you get into it? After several years of infatuation with ceramics I finally decided to try some evening classes at the beginning of 2019, I completely fell in love with the endless possibilities of clay and jumped in feet first, leaving my background in luxury fashion and print design. I now work from a home studio using traditional coil building and slab building methods.
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Eclectic, tactile and slow-made
what is your name? Madison Thomas
where are you based? Worcestershire, UK
what do you specialise in? Hand poured bubble candles.
how and when did you get into it? When a quarantine hobby turned into a small business, hand pouring soy wax candles and creating our bubble collection. Whilst I was furloughed from my job as a beauty therapist, I would help my partner in his design studio, which inspired me to start creating things that I loved. I have always had a desire to create something that goes hand in hand with the beauty industry, so our bubble collection seemed to be the perfect way to start my new business venture.
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Creative, natural and handmade
what is your name? Natasha
where are you based? Manchester, UK
what do you specialise in? Vegan and cruelty free home fragrance products and soy candles.
how and when did you get into it? I started making candles in December 2018, I wanted a hobby to find some calm as I was struggling with my Mental Health. NOA was born in February 2019 and I juggled it full time alongside my studies! I have now just graduated and am doing it full time.
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Handmade, endless love
what is your name? Rebecca Boulton
where are you based? York, UK
what do you specialise in? Concrete based designs.
how and when did you get into it? I started Narvi 2 years ago, but the usual work commitments and general life got in the way, so when the global pandemic hit I thought I would make the most of the free time and pursue the ultimate dream of making pots for a living!
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Unique, functional, art
what is your name? Emma de Clercq
where are you based? London, UK
what do you specialise in? I make small batch ceramics, specialising in functional pieces which I build by hand. I favour minimal design, simple silhouettes which allow things like texture and colour to take centre stage. In terms of ‘inspiration’, I really love brutalist architecture, hence the name of my brand!
how and when did you get into it? Like a lot of people I first delved into pottery as a release from my day job as a digital editor - you can’t get further from a computer then when you’re covered in mud making pots. In 2016 a group of us got together and started Clay Collective, a collaboratively run studio in Hackney. This is where we all make our work, share skills (and cleaning duties), and listen to a (lot!) of audiobooks. I started off making my work for friends and family, and then gradually started getting requests for my pieces via Instagram which has been lovely.
how would you describe your products/ brand in 3 words? Made to last