Libby Ballard

Libby Ballard set up her business - Libby Ballard Ceramics - in the spring of 2017, taking the leap to make pottery her career. Her studio is based in the Pounds Arts Centre in Wiltshire from where she individually hand-throws each one of her ceramic pieces on the wheel. Her intention is to design ceramic ware that is a pleasure to eat or drink from or just to admire.

Libby was brought up by the coast on the Isle of Wight and she went on to stay close to the sea when she chose to study in Brighton. It is clear from her work that many of her creative inspirations come from the sea and landscape as she captures a sea mist or foggy morning in her glazes.

Using a flecked stoneware-clay Libby throws each piece, leaves it to harden over night before finishing, trimming, tidying the bases, adding handles - whatever each design needs. The pieces are then left to completely dry for a week before being bisque fired. She then glazes them using her own glaze recipes. Each individual piece takes between two and three weeks to be completely finished.

Pottery is not a fast process!