About
Cellar Ceramics is a collaboration between Rob and Debs who work from their home workshop in Shipston on Stour. Together, they draw on their vast experience in art and ceramics to produce contemporary porcelain slipware. Their work is inspired by nature, using organic forms and decoration. They create a variety of work ranging from small and functional mugs and vases to larger more artistic wares. Each of these items are carefully handcrafted and entirely unique. As such, these everyday items are transformed into individual works of art to be cherished and cared for.
Porcelain
Porcelain is a fine white clay which has been revered for centuries due to its unique qualities. Delicate yet strong, this material is perfect to create items that are both luxurious and ergonomical. Unlike other clays, porcelain has a fine grained, smooth, white body which is the perfect surface to paint on. This backdrop allows the colour of the slips to become lively and vibrant. ​ Due to its unique body and texture, porcelain is renowned to be difficult to throw with. A lot of skill is required to create something so fine and delicate that it is translucent.
Workshop
Nestled beneath the floorboards of a Victorian Terrace in the Cotswolds is our workshop. Despite it's size, the small cellar is a hive of activity and every inch of the space is cleverly utilised to enable every process to be conducted. This includes clay preparation and reclamation, glazing, glaze testing and mixing, slip making, and of course, throwing, decorating and drying.
Making
Rob has over fifteen years experience throwing large teracotta flowerpots at Whichford Pottery. This skill has been utilised further to design a range whereby every aspect is considered. A lot of thought is given to the way each item looks aesthetically, the angles that they are thrown, and even the shadows that they cast. The making process is long and very involved with many different stages where there is a risk that something could go wrong. Hence, every successful pot that emerges from the kiln is considered a little miracle.
Decorating
Debs has been studying and working within the arts for over 15 years. These experiences combined with a passion for walking and nature inspire her paintings which are entirely unique and not of any particular place, but stem from a feeling invoked by the British countryside. As a result, they can evoke a personal familiarity within each scene. Debs uses coloured slips and a mixture of painting and sgraffito techniques to create her designs.
Sustainability
Our workshop is run on 100% green energy, provided by a company who generate it using wind and solar power. Everything that can be, is recycled, including the clay. Packaging, where possible, is both recycled and recyclable including packing tape and stickers. In the few instances where bubble wrap is used, it is repurposed and never bought new.
