Katie Bates
I like to keep my work local and low-impact if I can, by using nearby materials: wild clay, discarded glass from Victorian bottle dumps, sourdough starter in place of glaze. It’s a way of exploring the landscape and the stories that exist within it, whilst also being mindful of provenance and environmental impact.
Most of my work is made using a potter’s wheel but I enjoy the playfulness of handbuilding. This was really my first love with ceramics, when I needed a pressure valve from a serious office job. Now I enjoy teaching handbuilding at Brier Hey’s children’s pottery club and from my home studio, where I also offer individual/ small group throwing tuition. I was delighted to teach in a local high school and run public workshops for Hebden Bridge Arts in 2024: it was incredibly inspiring to see people using local clay in all the sessions, it’s a reconnection to the landscape.
