Finding the Shape of Things
My name is Sam, and I make small batch ceramics in a even smaller studio in Virginia, County Cavan.
I focus mainly on mugs, sometimes plates, and occasionally bowls, vases and other items for the home. Every piece is made with intention and I make only what i want to.
The process is slow and deliberate. Over time it has found a rhythm of its own, becoming as much about calm as it is about clay.
Where It Began
I first discovered ceramics during evening classes at Trinity College Dublin in 2016. It was a way to balance the digital world of my day job with something more physical and more creative.
After that I stepped away from clay for almost eight years. I travelled and explored other creative mediums such as painting, sculpture, and woodwork.
But pottery has always had a draw to me. Being able to hold and use the art rather than just to look and admire, has always been something that has fascinated me.
In early 2024 I returned to pottery. Since then I have been working quietly, shaping a practice that feels personal and sustainable. It is slow work, often repetitive, but deeply satisfying.
Thoughts Behind Work
My work follows a simple idea. It should feel calm, grounded, and easy to live with. The shapes are made to feel clean, the palette limited, and the textures should feel simple.
I like pieces that carry a small touch of character, a relaxed expression, a gentle curve, and a bit of quiet charm.
Most of what I make is wheel thrown in white stoneware and painted with black linework. I avoid shading and decoration that distracts. Instead I focus on clear forms and natural colour. Terracotta, sage, dusty lavender, and rose pink are the tones I return to most.
The motifs are often animals such as otters, foxes, dogs, and pigeons, sometimes familiar, sometimes imagined. Always simple. Always slightly at ease.
These are pieces made to be used, lived with, washed, and handled. They are not delicate or distant objects, but ones that belong in the rhythm of daily life, present, useful, and to be enjoyed
Inside the Studio
The studio is small and impractical, with just enough space for a wheel, some shelves, and my dog at my feet.
It is not fancy, but it feels right. Every piece begins here, sometimes from a sketch and sometimes from a memory.
I try to capture a sense of that feeling in the clay itself. Nothing literal, just a trace of what it meant.
Thank you
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. For your attention, your interest, and your support. I hope something here resonates, whether it’s the shape of a handle, the look of a glaze, or the expression on a quiet little mug.
If you have questions, want to say hello, or just want to know when the next batch is coming, you can join the mailing list, reach out on socials, or use the contact form Here.