Conversations in Clay on the first floor is part of a series of craft showcases where paired ceramists explore similar themes or processes in their work.
This new display features ceramic artists Ellie Thomason and Louise & Simon Nadin (Ard Beag Ceramics) who use similar techniques for firing and glazing the pots.
Salt and soda glazes have an element of unpredictability in the kiln creating flashes of colour and beautiful surface sheens to the pots. Salt glaze is usually used on stoneware creating a glossy, translucent and slightly orange-peel-like texture which was formed by throwing common salt into the kiln during the higher temperature part of the firing process. Sodium from the salt reacts with silica in the clay body to form a glassy coating of sodium silicate. The process of using a wood fired kiln makes each piece completely unique, so although there are many similarities within the two bodies of work each piece has its own identity.
Header image: Ellie Thomason
Past artists in the series
Heidi Soos & Helmsdale Pottery: 2 August - 27 September 2025
A new series of ceramics displays. Our first conversation will feature a range of amazing birds, both imagined and real.
Becca Brown & Evelyn Albrow: 21 October - 3 January 2026
Our second presentation in this series features hand built pots and Christmas tree decorations. The perfect Christmas present!
Fiona Robertson and Pauline Beautyman: 6 January – 28 February 2026
Both makers, Fiona Robertson and Pauline Beautyman, draw inspiration from their surrounding natural environments, yet produce markedly different bodies of work. The distinctive marks applied to their diverse forms give each vessel its own character and visual presence. Their shared approach to surface decoration conveys a strong sense of storytelling: narratives emerge through pattern, colour, and form, inviting viewers to explore their personalities embedded within each object.
Ellie Thomason and Louise & Simon Nadin: 3 March - 25 April 2026
This week new work arrived in our Craft Showcases; created by ceramic artists Ellie Thomason and Louise & Simon Nadin (Ard Beag Ceramics) who use similar techniques for firing and glazing pots.
