National Maker Directory

The soft forms of weather worn pebbles, the repeated structure of moss and lichen growth and patterns in clusters of barnacles, inspire my jewellery.

I use combinations of hand-pierced and domed silver and copper with added textile details to create wearable pieces that echo these shapes. The contrast between the textures of metal and crochet/felt fibres enables me to explore the tactile qualities of each material and I enjoy the very different processes involved in making each element.

I produce vibrant contemporary wall hung mosaics working with a mixture of materials from vitreous glass and ceramic through to natural marble and slate. I also like to incorporate individual pieces of vintage porcelain or worn down ceramic found washed ashore British beaches to give my work a greater depth, with each fragment holding a hidden history or journey of its own.

I produce mosaic panels, commissioned house numbers and personalised wedding hearts and am also showing my work in exhibitions.

Julieann is a graduate of the Tapestry Department, Edinburgh College of Art and is a Crafts Council Award recipient. She has developed her love of eccentric weaving into three dimensions to create lively and whimsical woven wire animals, birds and figures suitable for indoor and outdoor display.

Julieann strives to capture the essence of her subject through quick sketches translated directly into sculpture. She now lives in Wiltshire and spends hours sketching in the fields around her home and studio from where she also runs workshops and courses.

Examples of Julieann’s tapestry and sculptural forms can be found in public and private collections nationally, including the V&A. In Spring 2012 she was commissioned to design and create 50 new wire sculptures for The Conran Shop inspired by the ethos “Less is More’.

Juliet Bowmaker designs and makes contemporary jewellery. She works with semi-precious stones, pearls and precious metals to create coherent pieces of jewellery. Organic and textured forms dominate the designs and Juliet has recently launched a collection using sea-glass. Her aim in each piece is to capture an individual mood of understated elegance. She lives and […]

I work in ceramics, focusing on the idiosyncrasy of the human personality – exploring the challenge of penetrating outward appearances. I hope my work ignites a spark of recognition and has a playfulness; a sense of belonging to both past and present. Early British figurative pottery such as Staffordshire and Royal Doulton are inspirational but, to me, they have a perfection that’s unreal. An artist’s handmade piece reveals the figure’s individuality, making it accessible, expressing humanity and vulnerability.
I use porcelain paper-clay and vintage found objects. When fired to stoneware, porcelain can often move about serendipitously, shrinking up to 15%. The result is snow-white clay, which I juxtapose with colourful decals, and a transparent stoneware glaze, referencing the Figure’s prominent history.

Since leaving college in 1998 I have been working solely with hand built porcelain- creating semi functional pieces. My work addresses the boundaries between function and decoration. I look at objects that are used on a daily basis; like the form of a jug and create pieces that move away from function and are more […]

I am a contemporary studio potter. My inspiration is taken from the beautiful Cumbrian landscapes in which I live. I use a range of techniques such as raku, slab built pots and slip casting. I use plants picked from my garden to print into the clay along with using textured rollers and the sgraffito technique to hand draw into my work. My aim is to bring the beauty of nature into the home and garden. I practise with many different clays and recently, I have created my own paper clay recipe to create delicate pieces for the home.

Karen has produced predominantly aesthetic art pieces for many years but has recently rediscovered throwing and has become struck by the unique appeal of ceramics as functional art. Inspired by the Brecon Beacons, her ‘Home’ collection explores the point where beauty and practical purpose meet.

Always fascinated by the naked surface of clay, Karen adds oxides to the clay body to create the exterior colours without having to mask the natural texture of the material. The interior surfaces are glazed to ensure that they are food safe. In developing these glazes, she’s discovered a rich palette of colours which are reminiscent of South Wales itself. This work is art which will be touched, used and treasured.

I love experimenting with precious metals, especially silver, to create tactile, interesting pieces that invite the wearer to engage with them. I love clean, contemporary designs, often geometric and sculptural with unusual, organic surface patterns and textures. My pieces are inspired by everyday emotions and situations as well as the beautiful natural world we live […]

I am inspired by texture and form. Working from my studio in East Sussex, I specialise in larger vases and moon jars, with many of my designs incorporating sand and beach shells. I also make a range of other work, from large wall art such as my Doves, to smaller pieces such as mugs, platters, and bowls.
Pottery is my all consuming passion and as such I am always learning something new, trying out new ideas and pushing the boundaries: if you have a pottery project in mind or an idea for a piece you would like to see come to life then I would be very happy to discuss a commission with you.

I design and create unique functional and decorative ceramics by slab building using mostly porcelain and stoneware clay. I am a Glasgow School of Arts ceramics design graduate and draw inspiration from my early childhood growing up in California in the 1960s in a world of colour, pattern, shape and textures. In my most recent designs I have used my own photographic images as surface decoration, utilising the clay and forms as a blank canvas.
All my ceramics are handmade by me in Scotland and often feature the iconic paisley pattern design.

Karen Howarth Ceramics Jewellery is a contemporary, colourful collection made from black porcelain casting slip, layered with white decorating slip and finished with a high quality ceramic decal. The jewellery collection comprises necklaces, earrings, brooches and cufflinks in four different designs. Each item is fired to a high temperature and beautifully finished to create a […]

Kate became a studio jeweller in 2003, exhibiting collections in galleries and at exhibitions throughout the UK and Ireland. Whilst on her degree Kate found a natural affinity working with metal and spent long hours making intricate models to help her visualise her designs. She has always promoted craftsmanship and quality of making in her […]

My passions are for clay and plants, which stems from my occupation as a gardener. I combined both these interests on my degree course in ceramics at Cardiff School of Art & Design. Since graduating in 2009, I have worked in a shared ceramic studio exploring the effects of shape, pattern, silhouettes, shadows, and contrasts […]

Kate’s jewellery collections are all inspired by textiles, whether it is knitting with yarn and fusing this with glass, or taking the inspiration from knitted patterns and textures and translating this into silver. Kate has several collections that are linked by a textile theme but each has a different feel and look. Kate Holdsworth is a jewellery designer maker. She has always been fascinated with the tactile textural qualities of knit. While studying at Bucks New University she became intrigued with the contrasting textures that could be achieved by juxtaposing knit with other materials. Kate went on to develop her love of contrasting materials on her MA at Nottingham Trent University where she produced an innovative process of fusing knit and glass together to create a unique composite textile. This led Kate to a year’s placement on the Design Space Programme developing new jewellery products. Since Design Space she has set up a collective with 10 other jewellery designer makers at Quarter Studios where she shares a workshop within the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.

Using old and recycled materials I try to capture the detail and beauty found in nature. My work is influenced by plants, insects and found objects which I recreate in paper and arrange carefully into collections and dioramas. I like to evoke the sense of nostalgia and curiosity I get from studying nature and creating the items […]

I create wall art and free standing sculptures inspired by the Great Outdoors. My paper sculptures are made with hand printed papers, using mono screen printing techniques. They are varnished with a UV protective lacquer, which seals their edges and keeps them easy to care for – a tickle with a duster every now and […]

Founded in 2012, Kate Sproston Design creates embroidered gifts and products for the home. Based in the Midlands, UK, we strive for quality and craftsmanship in every piece. Having grown up in a household full of handmade toys and gifts, Kate has always understood the value of a beautifully made product, and the pride taken in creating the piece. This is why each of our products has been made with care from the highest quality materials available.

Incorporating this mantra with strong designs and a love for both traditional and contemporary embroidery, Kate Sproston Design offers fresh embroidered pieces for the modern home, some of which can be personalised for an extra special touch. All products are handmade in the UK, with care and attention to detail.

Working with felt, wire, cloth and wood, mixed media artist Kate Toms creates her company of sculptural 3D characters from her Devon studio.

Exploring the ordinary and the everyday and celebrating the humdrum with a gentle humour, Kate invites the viewer to connect with and to create their own narratives around each piece.