Helen Billingsley

My love of ceramics began at school and from there I went on to do a degree in the subject at the University of Wales, Cardiff, which I completed in 1994. I continued to develop my work at home alongside working at a small studio pottery nearby where I have contributed to the range of decorative and functional range of wares that is produced there.

My work is mainly decorative , my aim is to produce pieces that are light-hearted , colourful and inviting. I cannot say that have any one strong influence . I am inspired by nature, plants, birds, textiles ,interior design, architecture and also by clay itself. It has always fascinated me how one can take a material that seems at first look very unappealing, often drab in colour and create an object that can be so animate, colourful, fragile, precious and at times valuable.

My work is handbuilt ,I coil, slab and pinch . I use brush on glazes which gives me an extensive palette of colours to use. I fire in an electric kiln to 1250 deg.C. I love using colour and enjoy the muted stony colours as well as the brighter ones that are now available.