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Hi there
Hi I'm Esme. The face and hands behind the Pots by Esme brand!
All About Me
Firstly, thank you for taking time to get to know the maker behind the product!
Originally from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, it was days on the beach that first sparked my love of getting mucky. ​
I have always invested time into creativity and instinctively played with colour, but it wasn’t until I uncovered Clay on my Foundation Diploma, 2016, that I really developed a connection with three-dimensional form. I discovered an abandoned electric potters wheel that hadn't seen use in over 30 years due to the removal of the Ceramics program from the curriculum. And the rest, as they say, is history! No splash guard or prior pottery knowledge lead to some very messy creations! But despite a lack of facilities or firsthand knowledge I was given the space and time to experiment. Looking back, this was one of the most valuable things anyone could have given me.
Since then I've come a long way in developing my ceramic practice, fuelled by passion for the material I work with and the thirst to develop my clay vocabulary.
In 2017 I attended two semesters of the BA Ceramic Design course at Central St. Martins, London. Eventually breaking off to find my ceramic identity by taking a part time pottery classes at Hull College. It was during this break from education that I allowed myself time to create whatever vision was in my mind and develop my hand building skills.
In 2019 I took the decision to continue the remainder of my BA studies at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Enthusiastically completing my first year, little did I know about what was to come.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic in an effort to be closer to family, I returned to Scarborough as a Key worker in the retail industry. Continuing my studies online for a brief period until deciding to defer for an additional year, in the hope that access to facilities would be reinstated.
When I finally resumed my studies in 2021 there was nothing that could stop me from gaining my degree, I fully immersed myself within my craft and made the most of my time in education by taking part in a work placement scheme, something I would wholeheartedly recommend to any student given the opportunity. I also made the effort to connect with as many people in the creative industry as possible, because you never know when you might need someone with a different set of creative skills. Graduating in July 2023, my plan is to continue developing my brand identity, material vocabulary and try to meet as many new people in the process as possible!
Keep an eye on my socials @potsbyesme for updates on when and where my designs are available for purchase.
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Inspiration
Some of my main inspiration comes from childhood memories. These vivid recollections of bright, warm colours in play areas, crayon boxes and tv shows revive the feeling of unrelinquished joy that was triggered in my pre-operational psyche.
Nature serves as a deep-rooted inspiration for me, mainly in the colour scheme of this collection. Green of the grass, blue of the sky, orange of the sun, purple of the flowers. Filtering in elements of microbial life that have been absorbed through social media content, film and television.
I often look towards interior design as a source of inspiration for my work. The bold shapes and colour pallets of the 1970’s have particularly influenced the overarching aesthetic of this collection. Below are some examples of environments that represent the inspirational and contextual framing of my current work.
I find the development of artificial intelligence to be a fascinating digital phenomenon due to its limitless possibility. There are no budgets or practicalities to be considered as these environments, as they only exist within a virtual reality. Recently I have begun looking towards AI generated interiors for their ethereal, paradisiacal qualities as well as some of the unusual shapely features that are rare within the realistic concepts of modern architecture.
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Curriculum Virtae
Available on Request.
