Linda Unsworth
A potter based in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Originally from Prague, I now work from my home studio in Pembrokeshire.
I am a self-taught potter but received lots of support from my potter friends, especially Joe Finch and Robin Dale Thomas. I attended a course with Akiko Hirai at the Clay College, Stoke on Trent in 2019.
My work is inspired by my natural surroundings and often includes materials collected locally which creates a sense of belonging. I think of making pottery as a form of meditation when hands centre the clay and the clay centres the mind.
My other influences are traditional Oriental pottery in its simple timeless form.
I throw pots on a momentum wheel, powered only by foot. I like its tranquility, natural rhythm and the slower speed.
For decoration I layer slips, create patterns with stamps or carve into the pot surface. My glazes usually consist of wood ash, clay and stone. I also like to leave some clay bare to show the warm colours created by the path of flame.
Most of my pots are raw glazed and once fired in a wood fired kiln. The firing usually takes around 15 hours after an initial pre-warming the night before.
THE MAKING PROCESS, MATERIALS COLLECTING AND TESTING
