About Emma
Who I am, and why I love this job.
Emma Kathryn Pottery is a small independent business in Cheshire, run by me, Emma. Every piece on this site was thrown, turned, glazed and packed by hand, in a studio that is a good deal smaller than most people imagine.
I grew up on a farm, and that is still the strongest influence on my work. The colours I glaze with come from places I have actually walked, a stretch of coast in North Wales, the woods near the studio in early autumn, the gritstone edges above Macclesfield. Nothing is chosen from a chart.
I am a tactile person, so everything I make is designed around soft, curved lines that sit properly in the hand. Handles are pulled the traditional way and shaped to the cup rather than to a measurement. I work from memory and feel more than from repeated measuring, which is why no two pieces are quite the same, and why I would rather you chose the exact one you want.
How each piece is made
Pieces are made in small batches of ten to twenty items. Each batch is thrown on the wheel, then turned and finished the following day once the clay has firmed up. From there the pieces dry slowly for one to two weeks.
They are then bisque fired to 1020°C. After firing, each piece is cleaned, stamped, waxed on the base, and prepared for glazing. I mix my glazes from raw powders and apply them by pouring and dipping, which is what gives the edges their movement and keeps every piece slightly different.
The glaze firing goes to 1260°C, which vitrifies the stoneware and makes it durable enough for everyday use. Finally each piece is sanded and cleaned by hand before it is photographed and listed.
Working responsibly
Waste clay is recycled back into usable clay rather than thrown out. The kiln is only ever fired full, so no firing is wasted. Orders go out in packaging that is recyclable, and I use renewable materials whenever this is a sensible option.
Choosing your piece
Because everything is one of a kind, this site works a little differently to most shops. You narrow down by form and glaze, then see every piece currently available in that combination — and the one you pick is the exact one that arrives. It is as close as I can get to the feeling of picking a pot up from my market stall.
