In my many years of scoping out flea markets, craft fairs, juried art exhibitions and gift shops, I’ve encountered a lot of ho-hum pottery and ceramics. You’ve probably seen them too — pieces that are nice enough but not distinctive in design or color, pieces that lack a certain je ne sais quoi that makes you stop and take a second look (ho-hum, yawn, moving right along . . . ).

So when I do stumble upon truly exquisite work that sets my heart aflutter, prompting numerous sighs and pangs of longing, it’s cause for celebration. Enter award-winning UK artist-designer-ceramicist Katrin Moye!

An English and Art History major, Katrin is largely self taught in ceramics. She’s inspired by mid-century decorative art, Scandinavian and Eastern European folk art, and 1970’s childhood memories growing up in England and Germany (mainly textiles, book illustrations, soft furnishings and other domestic paraphernalia). Literary influences include Hans Christian Andersen, Astrid Lindgren, Johanna Spyri’s Heidi, and Alf Proysen.

Recently she’s been fascinated by the intricate repeating patterns in tree and plant life, and she likes to incorporate folkloric motifs such as birds and foxes.

Her decorative domestic slipware is much sought after around the world. She began her career producing decorative wheel-thrown functional ware, but has shifted her focus to creating larger scale one-off collector pieces like platters and jugs.

All of my work is made from a 50:50 mix of white earthenware and stoneware clay, wheel thrown or press moulded and handbuilt, and decorated with coloured slips and underglazes using a variety of methods such as trailing, hand cut paper resist, sponge printing and painting. It is fired to 1080 degrees in an electric kiln with a leadless clear glaze.

I love all her blues and greens, which are imbued with a beautiful serenity. Her pieces are meant to be used in an everyday domestic setting, and they’re all dishwasher safe!

Katrin truly loves patterns (I’m particularly mad for her tiny dots), and she likes to recreate things she encounters in daily life, whether a lovely seed pod, leaf spray, or raindrops. Perhaps because her designs are rooted in personal memories, like her father’s shirt or aunt’s coffee pot, they feel more accessible to us. They seem to convey a sense of warmth, comfort and home.

In addition to ceramics, Katrin creates lovely watercolor paintings which are available as prints or greeting cards.

Find out more at Katrin Moye’s website and FB Page, where she regularly shares about works completed or in progress. She makes items to order and can be contacted via email: katrin.moye (at) ntlworld (dot) com. 

Enjoy this video where she talks about her inspirations and influences:

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Copyright © 2016 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.