Story

I am a ceramic artist working from a small studio just outside London, creating decorative and occasionally functional stoneware pieces through a combination of hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques.

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My work is primarily figurative and rooted in imagination. Faces, characters and curious beings frequently emerge in my pieces, often arriving uninvited and taking on lives of their own as the making process unfolds. I am drawn to objects that sit somewhere between pottery and sculpture, blurring the line between the functional and the playful.

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The material itself plays an important role in my practice. I am fascinated by the individuality of different clay bodies and enjoy responding to their natural textures, colours and quirks. Surface decoration is an important part of my work, where simple mark-making, slips, oxides and glazes are layered to create depth, character and narrative.

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My background as a professional opera singer has also influenced my approach to making. Storytelling, expression and character remain central to my practice, although they now find their voice through clay rather than music.

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I am interested in creating pieces that feel simultaneously familiar and unexpected—objects with presence, personality and a hint of mischief. By embracing irregularity, spontaneity and the evidence of the maker's hand, I celebrate the imperfections that give handmade work its unique charm and humanity.

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Follow me on Instagram or Facebook @joelledavisceramics for restock updates and general pottery news. See you there!