About Ella
Ella has been making ceramics since 2018. she started from a little studio at home in Edinburgh, and is now working from a beautiful converted hay barn just outside Pathhead in Midlothian
She is passionate about interiors and homewares, so it made logical sense for her to start making her own! She loves colour- the bolder and brighter the better as far as she is concerned- this is reflected in her home which was a finalist on Scotland’s Home of the Year in 2022. This passion for colour is seen across her work, with the intention of bringing a little bit of joy to each piece.
Ella’s work is intended to be used everyday. They are durable and practical, being both microwave and dishwasher safe (*excluding pieces with gold lustre). Her pieces move customers away from the cheap, mass produced products you find on the high street, but at the same time won't break the bank.
The Ceramic Process
Hand made, wheel thrown ceramics is a slow process that requires patience and a lot of coffee.
It starts with a ball of clay. Ella uses a white stoneware clay that she gets from a local Edinburgh supplier. This ball of clay is wedged by hand (a process to loosen up the clay and remove any air bubbles) and then taken to the wheel to be thrown and formed into a cylindrical shape. Once shaped, the pot is left to dry to a leather-hard stage (firm but still slightly pliable) before Trimming. This involves using tools to remove excess clay from the bottom and refine the shape, creating a foot or base if desired.
The trimmed piece is left to dry completely, which can take several days depending on the size and thickness of the clay. It is essential to dry the piece slowly and evenly to avoid cracking.
Bisque Firing: Once fully dry, the piece undergoes its first firing in a kiln, called bisque firing. This process hardens the clay and prepares it for glazing. The bisque-fired piece is porous and typically has a matte, white appearance.
After bisque firing, the piece is glazed. Glaze is a liquid mixture of minerals that, when fired, forms a glassy surface coating. This is hand painted onto Ella’s work making sure no two will be the same. The glazed piece is then fired again to 1260 degrees and the finished product comes out shiny and colourful.
Ella’s team is small but perfectly formed with two other potters, a studio manager and a studio assistant helping her meet the demands for her work.
