Find a Maker Week, December 2023

by Sarah Monk | Feb 15, 2023 | Exhibitions, News

Hello everyone. This week I been celebrating #findamakerweek on Instagram! Here I am in my studio at Eastnor Pottery, which I share with my husband and fellow potter Jon Williams (behind the camera).

Find a Maker is an online directory and community of professional crafts people & galleries. It’s run by the famous and well established Craft Festival team.

On Monday 4th December 2023, I chatted LIVE on Instagram with founder, Sarah James MBE. It can be found on the CraftFestival Instagram page here!

work in progress studio shot of slipware bt Sarah Monk Ceramics

Yellow slab built vase by Sarah Monk Ceramics with oxe eye daisies.

flower brick work in progress ata eastnor pottery by sarah monk

Talking of Craft Festival….. I shall be exhibiting with them again at Cheltenham from the 8th – 10th March 2024 Tickets can be purchased online nearer the time.

It takes place in the iconic Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50 1QA

If you are coming to Cheltenham do come and say hello, I would love to meet you! 🙂

Sarah x

New Designs for Digital Craft Festival

by Sarah Monk | Mar 9, 2021 | Exhibitions, News

Here’s some of my most recent pieces for the Digital Craft Festival. Fresh out of the kiln this week are espresso cups, plates butter dishes, lemon squeezers and egg cups. I’m very pleased with the results!

brown dotty butterdish with green polka dot handleby sarah monk ceramics

lemon squeezer with brown dots by sarah monk ceramics

The Digital craft festival is an online event showcasing 150 international makers. This will include talks, demos and films. It takes place from the 26th – 28th March 2021.

shelfie of slab plant pot by sarah monk ceramics

blue and white dresser with new collection of colourful ceramics by sarah monk

teal flower brick with fresh flowers by sarah monk ceramics

As part of this event I will be running a virtual craft workshop on Saturday 27th March at 2pm. I will show you step by step how to make your own clay bug house and you can make along with me! No previous pottery experience is required.

The Digital Craft festival is going to be lots of fun and I hope you can join me!

I will be posting on my Instagram over the weekend too @sarahmonkceramics

#digitalcraftfestival

Sarah x

Digital Craft Festival

by Sarah Monk | Feb 24, 2021 | Uncategorized

I’m super thrilled to be taking part in the next Digital Craft Festival taking place from the 26th – 28th March 2021. I’ve enjoyed this event lots in the past….. it’s so lovely! A funfilled weekend of craft demonstrations, interviews and workshops on Instagram, Facebook and zoom. PLUS the opportunity to buy direct from the 150 selected designer makers, across all craft disciplines, from all over the world!

Crafts Festival founder, Sarah James spearheads the interviews in the run up and during this event. I’m really looking forward to getting involved!

terracotta clay pots waiting to be decorated with slip in the studio of sarah monk ceramics

The Digital Craft Festival is an opportunity I would ordinarily have to pass on, what with the 3.5k class participants that pass through the doors each year at Eastnor Pottery. Now the Studio is currently closed to visitors I have more time to focus on my own work. I’m launching lots of new designs in my shop especially for the event!

slab built butterdish work in progress in the studio of sarah monk ceramics

work in progress studio shot of slipware bowls decorated with bold brown dots by sarah monk ceramics

slab built olive plate work in progress with cobalt splatters

I can’t wait to take part in the Digital Craft festival and I hope you can join me!

I will be posting on my Instagram over the weekend too @sarahmonkceramics

#digitalcraftfestival

Sarah x

New designs at Contemporary Ceramics Centre

by Sarah Monk | Nov 10, 2020 | Uncategorized

My new designs are on display at Contemporary Ceramics Centre, the only retail Gallery in London specialising exclusively in British Studio Ceramics.

I have two new collections on show until the end of December 2020:

Breakfast Ware consisting of querky espresso cups, wobbly looking egg cups and an interesting collection of cereal bowls. The image above is a slipware cheesedish most definitely the biggest pinch pot item I have made!!

Bathroom Ware consisting of hand built ceramic soap dishes of varying shapes and sizes, including my popular soap pillows and a selection of hand thrown toothbrush mugs.

4 egg cups with real eggs and two espresso coffee cups in slipwarte by sarah monk ceramics

a selection of ceramic bathroom ware by sarah monk ceramics

C

The Gallery is run by the Craft Potters Association, of which I have been a selected professional member for over 25 years. They set it up as a ‘benchmark for current practice in studio ceramics and with regularly changing display’ It’s always possible to purchase a wide range of work from functional tableware to individual collectors pieces.

My new designs can be purchased from their own online shop here!

I was invited by Contemporary Ceramics Centre to write about my design process on their blogspot which can be viewed here!! It’s titled ‘In Conversation with Sarah Monk’.

I hope you like my new designs…. I shall be adding some to my own shop soon!

espresso coffee cup by sarah monk ceramics

contemporary ceramics centre website blogspot about sarah monk ceramics

brushed green soap dish with fever few flowers stuck in the top

Instagram Giveaway

by Sarah Monk | Nov 5, 2020 | Uncategorized

I’m a big fan of Instagram, it’s so visual. It’s a great platform for all creatives and small artisan businesses to show products and connect with like minded people.

I made such a connection with Chaaboo.com , makers of handmade vegan soaps and solid shampoos. I was enchanted by their Instagram feed and very pleased to see that they are based in Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, just half an hour from me. Having been obsessed with making ceramic soap dishes for a couple of years, I’m always on the look out for artisan soaps. So I gave them a follow!

I admit, Instagram Giveaways aren’t part of my business strategy but when Chaaboo asked, I couldn’t refuse! Collaborations are great and anyway, I love their products! We arranged to meet at my studio to discuss the strategy and how we would move the idea forward. I invited Chaaboo to choose a soapdish from my studio shop collection and they offered to photograph it with their soap bars, create the Insta post and send the prizes to the lucky winners!

hand made ceramic soap dish by sarah monk and soap by chaaboo

circular slipware soap dish in white and teal by sarah monk ceramics

side view of sarah monk circular soap dish with three soaps by chaaboo

The Giveaway went really well. Some very happy winners and a few new Instagram followers on the way!

I would definitely consider doing another promotion sometime. If you have Instagram you may want to give us a follow, who knows when our next promotion could be!!

@sarah_monk_ceramics & chaaboo_com

Good luck & best wishes,

Sarah