Claire first discovered the joy of working with clay when she was doing an Education Degree in Portsmouth in the late 1980’s.  Ceramics was part of the Creative Arts department where she spent most of her time.

After two years teaching in a secondary school, Claire went back to being a student, to explore further, the possibilities of clay and glaze in the ceramics department at Falmouth School of Art.  

The Old Blacksmiths Forge near Constantine became Claire’s studio in 1996 with a wonderful garden for outdoor firings and space to teach adult and children’s classes.  Claire taught for Adult Education in Truro and then from her own studio for Helston And Falmouth, as well as taking clay into primary schools to make large wall murals and days which were planned around the curriculum. 

Working with stoneware clay from St Agnes, a gas kiln and a barium blue glaze capturing the colours of the Cornish coast, Claire coiled and slab built work that sold in Cornish galleries and Craft Fairs ‘up country’.  

With a break in production from 2008 to 2018 Claire has now set up a new studio in Constantine.  A new electric kiln that will look after itself, means she can to go out for a walk with the dog, have a dip in the sea and a quick cup of tea without rushing back to control the flames! 

With a maximum of five adults or eight (small) children to a class, Claire will teach each person the skills to create their own work. Coiling is usually a good starting point, pinch pots and slab work then opening up all sorts of possibilities. There are two electric wheels in the studio and there’s is always an opportunity to give it a go. Glazing and decorating can be a bit muddling - so it is introduced in small bite sized chunks!