sarah bartlem
ceramics
About me
Brought up in rural Cheshire, I enrolled at Art School straight after school to do a foundation course and then study Graphic Design. I spent the first years of my career in advertising agencies in Cheltenham, and later in the Manchester area. After meeting my partner Neil, we settled in a lovely North Wales village. There we run a design and editorial business and have been working together for over 20 years.
​
I've always had a great passion for ceramics, be it modern studio pottery or fine antique porcelain. Visiting the Potteries with my Mum from a very early age introduced me to the skills of the ceramicist.
​
So when I got a chance to have a go myself, I grabbed it with both hands and instantly fell in love. It's a slow process but, in a world where everything is at the tap of a finger, the rewards in pottery are worth waiting for. When you open the kiln you never know exactly what you're going to find!
My work is simple, practical and intended to be used and enjoyed every day. I hope you like it.
Body & finish
clay
I mostly work in a flecked stoneware. I love the way the marks come through on the second firing, giving a more
natural, tactile feel to my work. Also,
as I work with a very simple form and glaze
it gives more interest to the piece.
All clays are produced in
Stoke-on-Trent - where else.
I also use a black cay called 'Vulcan'. It has a beautiful depth and works well with a more Japanese style of form.
​
glaze
To keep my work simple I mainly
work with a white or off-white glaze .
Although I love the feel of the rough stoneware, it needs to contrast with
a smooth glaze. I don't want to over complicate my work.
​
In contrast to the dipped glaze method
my 'Enso' collection is glazed using a
brush. My intention is to create a pattern
with one breath - "The mind needs to be free
to let the body create".
​
​
​
​
Free collection
If you'd like to collect your ceramic piece rather than pay delivery I can take payment via bank transfer, card reader or cash, contact details above.
You can view my work by appointment with absolutely no obligation to buy, it's always nice to talk pottery, and I usually have the kettle on! So call or text and I can make sure I'm in.
What you see on this site is a one-off and may already have been sold. Please contact me for price enquiries, commissions or pictures of latest pieces. Alternatively take a look at my Instagram and Facebook pages to see what I've been up to, links at footer.