In the beginning of 2020 the whole world shut down as did the pottery class I was taking. With everyone hoarding toilet paper and stockpiling on sanitizer, I realized this whole lockdown would test my sanity so I talked my way into renting a pottery wheel from the owner of a local studio to keep occupied during the pandemic.

It was over this period of time when I began really practising throwing on the wheel, cylinder after failed cylinder, until I began working with the wheel rather than against it. My vessels were starting to become more centred as was I. Before long, my rental wheel needed returned, so I took the leap of purchasing my own and from then on, my garage became my studio.

My pottery explores the meeting point between sculpture and vessel, where form and surface carry equal weight. I’m drawn to bold contrasts, graphic pattern, and tactile clay surfaces that invite both visual and physical engagement. Many of my pieces feature carved or layered decoration, using repetition, symbol-like marks, and negative space to create rhythm and movement across the form.

I treat handles, silhouettes, and textures as expressive elements rather than purely functional ones — allowing each piece to feel animated, characterful, and slightly unexpected. Whether minimal and matte or densely patterned, my work celebrates the material presence of clay and the quiet tension between playfulness and structure.

– Francis