Eastnor Pottery’s founders get creative with clay Photo by Sarah Monk
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ith all the fantastic pottery courses and classes that have taken place at Eastnor Pottery & The Flying Potter, one might be forgiven for thinking the sole business activity is providing creative experiences. Far from it! Artist founders Jon Williams and Sarah Monk took on the redundant premises on the Eastnor Castle Estate, primarily as a workshop for designing and making their original contemporary ceramics. The social engagement work came much later as the pair developed their ideas and business acumen. In fact, having recently closed their doors due to the COVID-19 crisis, the absence of customers and rural hush fondly reminds the couple of the time they set up studio in Eastnor 26 years ago! The unscheduled break from normal business activity has also provided Jon and Sarah with a
golden opportunity to further develop their ceramic work. Sarah makes unusual but useful objects based upon her life-long passion for domestic ceramics. Items given the Sarah Monk treatment have included toast racks, lemon squeezers, cutlery drainers and even the odd wig-stand! Inspiration, in part comes from childhood memories of Sarah’s family home in Surrey. Dad was an antiques collector and filled the house, floor to ceiling with pots and ceramic curios. Glass fronted display cabinets bursting with china rattled and chinked when you passed. Sarah’s current obsession is with soap dishes and bathroom accessories. Having ditched the use of plastic hand soap dispensers at home and in the studio, she has designed a range of ‘soap pillows’ and bowls to contain her shampoo and
Photos by George Nash
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