Clay Works Studio Dumfries

We believe in community, creativity and the benefits of making with clay. Clay Works Studios Dumfries is a Ceramic/Pottery workshop which provides a friendly, informal and supportive environment where everyone is welcome to come and get hands on with Clay, learn new Ceramic techniques and/or develop existing skills. portrait.jpg LAUREN TAYLOR Lauren graduated from Glasgow School of Art with BA (hons) Ceramics in 2000. Following this she worked for Dalton Pottery in Dumfries & Galloway, assisting people to throw pots and helping with the production of their slipcast ceramics. Whilst traveling in Australia she worked for various potters making functional Pottery on the wheel. On return Lauren moved to Totnes in Devon to work as an Apprentice at Dartington Pottery. Here she gained in depth practical knowledge of pottery workshop practice . Lauren went on to work as Production Thrower for Dartington Pottery until she moved to North Devon to work as Ceramics technician and recreational Teacher at North Devon College. Whilst working at the College she also completed PCET Teacher training qualification. Since the birth of her first Daughter in 2008, Lauren has been mainly working as a mother, whilst also making pots and doing pencil Portraits. Lauren exhibited her porcelain vases as part of Spring Fling 2012, and has exhibited her Ceramics since at Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries. Instagram. @clayworksstudiodumfries JENNY FINCH Born in 1962 in Essex, always knowing I wanted to lead an artistic life. I followed my wonderful art foundation course at Colchester with a degree in ceramics at Birmingham Poly. I founded Dalton Pottery in 1989 with my late husband Geoff and we enjoyed over 25 happy years working together and raising two brilliant sons. They say that the only thing you can be sure of in life, is that it will keep changing. Some of those changes are very hard, and I have found the one thing that always gets me through those challenges is my creativity and the creative community. Chris and Lauren have built such a wonderful resource at Clayworks and I am proud to be part of the team. One of the most rewarding things about spending a lifetime understanding the medium of clay, is passing on those skills to those who are just discovering how meditative and rewarding it is to work with. Whether painting, potting, sculpting, writing, or teaching I hope to never stop pushing the boundaries and challenging myself to be the best I can. 120777122_2839475512940495_7861241450601659473_n.jpg CHRIS TAYLOR After graduating from the University of the West of England in 1999 Chris became an apprentice at Dartington Pottery, Totnes. On completion of his apprenticeship he went on to work for several potters around the UK before beginning to develop his own range of tableware in 2005. In 2006 Chris became potter in residence at the Beaford Arts Centre where he worked until its closure in 2013. In 2009 Chris began studying for an MA in Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art graduating in 2011. It was during this period of study that Chris’ work evolved in to the heavily decorated and layered work seen today. In recent years Chris has won several awards for his work and exhibits across the UK in a variety of galleries and live events.In recent years Chris has worked as lecturer of Ceramics at Plymouth College of Art across the BA and MA programs. Instagram. @c.taylor.design R1-02563-031A.JPG ABBIE LA ROOY Abbie graduated with BA Design (First Class Honours) from Goldsmiths University of London in 2019. After graduating Abbie went on to work for Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections, London. Here she planned numerous exhibitions and oversaw the sale of significant ceramic works. Following this Abbie set up a home studio in Sussex. Here she began to develop her own work, primarily working with slab building and throwing. Since moving to Dumfries she continues to experiment and develop her work whilst assisting and teaching in the studio. Instagram.@abbielarooy