Colour and Ceramics

Meet Jane Sheppard, a UK-based ceramic artist whose hand-built, smoke-fired vessels echo ancient artefacts and the sacred threads of human experience. Her award-winning work blends ritual, memory, and earth-rooted simplicity—inviting us to pause, feel, and reconnect.

You can find Jane via her website here: https://www.janesheppard.me/ and her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/rev_jane_sheppard/

Today, Bob Acton introduces us to South African–born ceramic artist Susan Trimble who creates joyful, nature-inspired work from her Brisbane studio. After a long career in graphic design, she discovered clay in 2020 and quickly developed a distinctive practice shaped by painting, mark-making, and mentorship under artist Jane du Rand. A 2024 solo exhibitor and finalist in the North Queensland Ceramic Awards,

You can find her work at https://www.susantrimbleart.com.au/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/susantrimble.artist/

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Nicole Windblad, the creative force behind the Calgary Art Market.

Nicole isn’t just curating a show; she’s shaping opportunities. As someone who runs one of the most respected art markets in Alberta, she understands what makes artists stand out, what helps them succeed, and yes—what can hold them back. She, and her family, have many years of experience operating this show so she has great wisdom for artists and makers of all sorts.

In this conversation, you’ll hear what Nicole looks for when selecting...

Today, Bob and Zana interview ceramic artist and designer Emily Holmes on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, who joins us from Los Angeles to talk about her practice of transforming familiar, textile-like forms into ceramic keepsakes. Emily’s background in Art Therapy at the Art Institute of Chicago shaped her early relationship with clay as a tool for healing, and later led her to open her studio full-time after relocating to LA.

You can find out more about Emily at https://www.emilyholmesceramics.com/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/emilyholmesceramics/

Today's podcast introduces Peter Beard.

Peter first discovered clay as a kid, and that early fascination never really left him. While studying industrial and furniture design at Ravensbourne College of Art in London, he found himself spending more and more time in the ceramics department. After graduating, he helped set up a pottery in Scotland making domestic stoneware, and not long after, opened his own studio in Kent where sculpture became his main focus.

These days, Peter works from his studio in Leamington Spa, creating stoneware pieces that are both thrown and hand-built. He fires...

I’m excited to welcome Miae Kim—a London-based ceramic artist originally from South Korea. After a career in animation and VFX in L.A., she fell in love with clay at Glendale College and never looked back. Miae is known for two threads: sculptural pieces inspired by whales—symbols of wisdom and endurance—and work that blends Korean motifs and Hangul with Western aesthetics. She’s a 2024 London Potters award winner and a selected member of the Craft Potters Association.

You can find her work on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/miae_kim_ceramics/ and on her web...

Today we’re stepping into the strange, beautiful world of Canadian sculptor David Altmejd. Born in Montreal in 1974 and now based in Los Angeles, David is obsessed with what makes a person a person—the body, yes, but also the mind, imagination, and whatever we mean by ‘soul.’ His figures often feel like they’re falling apart and coming together at the same time, opening little doorways into places beyond what we normally recognize.

What blows me away is his materials list: clay and foam next to mirror, quartz, resin, and even human and synthetic hair. He’s just as co...

We’ve got an exciting show today talking with the wonderful Carol Long — a ceramic artist whose work blooms with the influence of plant and animal life. Infused with joy, whimsy, and a deep connection to nature, Carol’s intricate, organic forms reflect her Kansas farm roots and a lifelong curiosity for the beauty around her. Her pieces can be found in galleries and museums across the U.S., and she’s shared her artistry in workshops nationwide. From childhood experiments with mud to internationally recognized ceramic sculpture, Carol’s journey is one of imagination, craftsmanship, and an ever-evolving exploratio...

Today on the podcast, Bob Acton @bobacton is joined by Brooklyn-based ceramic artist Kyle Scott Lee @ceramicmeltdown. Known for his bold use of color, expressive brushwork, and inventive surface treatments, Kyle’s work bridges tradition and innovation. Over the past two decades, he’s developed a distinctive style combining classical vessel forms with vibrant, abstract design. His ceramics have been exhibited internationally, featured in major publications, and collected across the globe. Kyle is a founding member of BKLYN CLAY, teaches at GasworksNYC, and currently collaborates with brands like West Elm, bringing his dynamic vision to a wide audience.

Ky...

Today’s featured artist is Carmen D’Apollonio, sculptor who explores everything from abstraction to figuration in her ceramic practice. Self-taught in ceramics, Carmen creates sculptural lighting and vessels that fuse craftsmanship with functionality, often infused with humour. As she puts it, “My work is simple; it often gives way to humor. As if clay had its way of being, its own personality.”

Carmen began her creative career as an art director for short films and commercials in the 90s. She then worked alongside artist Urs Fischer for over a decade before launching her own fashion brand, Ikou Tsc...

Join us on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast today as our host Bob Acton @bobacton strums up an exciting conversation with Vancouver's vibrant artist Suzy Birstein @suzy_birstein! Hold onto your mugs as we dive into Suzy's world of whimsical, figurative ceramic works and paintings. Ready for some artful chit-chat? Tune in! Check out her work at https://www.suzybirstein.com/

Join Bob, Jess, and Rob Sutherland, founders of Good Dirt Studio in Athens, Georgia—a dynamic ceramics space dedicated to creativity, community, and clay on today's podcast episode.

As artists and educators, Jess and Rob have cultivated a welcoming environment where students of all levels can explore the joy of working with their hands. Through their thoughtful teaching and community-focused approach, they’ve built more than just a studio—they’ve created a space for connection, curiosity, and artistic growth. Today on Colour and Ceramics, we talk about their journey, their philosophy on teaching, and how they’re shaping...

Bob Acton, the host of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, shares his conversation with CJ Jilek.

CJ creates beautiful, colourful work that is inspired by the sensuality of nature. Her work explores the connection between botanical forms and human sexuality. By abstracting flower blooms and focusing on their reproductive elements, she invites viewers to engage with themes of beauty, desire, and attraction—drawing subconscious links between the natural world and human instinct..

Her work can be found on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/cjjilek/ and on her website at https://cjjilekartist.wordpress.co...

Welcome to today’s episode! In this conversation, Bob sits down with the incredibly talented Emily Stubbs to dive into her journey with clay—how it all began, the evolution of her stunning work, and some fascinating insights into the techniques she uses in her ceramics practice.

Emily’s work is both playful and refined, with a unique voice that really stands out in the world of contemporary ceramics.

You can check out her creations at emilystubbs.com and follow her studio life on Instagram @emilystubbsceramics.

Let’s get into it—enjoy the show!

Sandy Brown is a renowned British ceramic artist celebrated for her expressive, spontaneous approach to clay. Her work is characterized by bold colors, free-flowing brushwork, and an energetic, intuitive style that challenges conventional ceramic traditions. After being introduced to ceramics in Japan, Sandy learned there that pots can be dynamic, exciting, free, and irregular. She has since built an international reputation, creating large-scale installations, sculptural ceramics, and functional pottery that exude a sense of freedom and joy. With a career spanning decades, Brown continues to push boundaries, inspiring both artists and collectors with her dynamic, uninhibited approach to ceramics.<...

Welcome to the Colour and Ceramics Podcast. Today's episode is with Karen Adams from Lush Brush Studios.

Karen is a sculptor and painter based in Roswell, Georgia in the USA. She does some lovely sculptures using multi-media and found objects. You can find her website and Instagram sites here https://lush-brush.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/kalushbrush/

A big warm welcome to Jack Durling, a wonderful animal sculptor and conservationist from the UK. Jack @jackdurlingceramics and Bob Acton @bobacton had a great conversation about Jack's work, how he approaches his work and, of course, surface design.

You can find Jack at his website at https://www.jackdurling.co.uk/

Enjoy the show!

Bob Acton, host of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, shares a lovely conversation he had with Susan Halls from Yorkshire in the UK. They talked her approach to ceramics and, of course, colour and surface design. I hope you enjoy the show.

Susan can be found on her website at https://susanhalls.com/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/susanhallsceramicsuk/

Welcome to the Colour and Ceramics Podcast. I’m Bob Acton and I’m pleased to introduce you to the wonderful Sara Moorhouse.

Her work on ceramics, colour and spatial perception began with a master’s degree at Cardiff, Wales and then onto a PhD to develop the ideas with more emphasis upon spatial colour phenomena on a three-dimensional form.

She went beyond the basics of colour theory and tested out ideas on the conical form. She found that colours behave differently when viewed across three-dimensional space than on a two-dimensional surface, particularly on the inner...

Hey there, folks! We're thrilled to bring you Season 2 of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics! Get ready for a heartwarming chat between our host, Bob Acton @bobacton, and the charismatic Anastassia Zamaraeva @a_zama_ceramics.

Anastassia, an incredible potter and art therapist hailing from London, shares her captivating journey in the realm of clay. We delve into how she cleverly intertwines clay into her art therapy while exploring the spellbinding world of colour and surface in ceramics.

So turn up the volume and join us for an unforgettable episode. Hope it brings as much...

Bob Acton shares his conversation with the Canadian ceramic artist Janet Macpherson. She began studying ceramics at Sheridan College, in Toronto, ON Canada and for six years operated a studio practice making functional ceramics, participating in exhibitions, and selling her work at various Toronto galleries. In 2008 she began her MFA in ceramics at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where she explored a more figurative approach to ceramics. Janet held an artist-in-residence/faculty position at Sheridan College in the 2012 Fall Semester, and was an artist in residence at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto from 2011 - 2014. In 2013 she was...

Bob Acton shares his conversation with the Canadian ceramic artist Janet Macpherson. She began studying ceramics at Sheridan College, in Toronto, ON Canada and for six years operated a studio practice making functional ceramics, participating in exhibitions, and selling her work at various Toronto galleries. In 2008 she began her MFA in ceramics at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where she explored a more figurative approach to ceramics. Janet held an artist-in-residence/faculty position at Sheridan College in the 2012 Fall Semester, and was an artist in residence at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto from 2011 - 2014. In 2013 she was...

Welcome to this episode with Russell Kingston from Devonshire in England. His roots are in North Devon where everyday medieval pots from that region drew him to this work. His pots are wheel thrown and slab built. Pots are to be used, so forms are simple and robust. Rims are rolled for strength and to mirror the chunky ring at the bottom; which is used for slipping and glazing. Handles are pulled from the pot as if they have grown there. Slip is dipped, poured, brushed, trailed and splashed with animated movements. Colour is achieved using oxides in slips...

This is a brief interview of Rick Rubin, author of The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Jay Shetty. Rick's written a fantastic book on creativity and his thoughts in this clip can be of value to all creative. I hope you enjoy it.

You can find Rick in every streaming service such as YouTube and you can find his book here https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/717356/the-creative-act-by-rick-rubin/9780593652886

You can find Jay Shetty here: https://www.jayshetty.me/

Dive into the captivating world of ceramics with UK's Georgie Gardiner!

Sip your favourite brew while listening to a delightful dialogue between host Bob Acton @bobacton and our dazzling guest, Georgie @georgieceramics. Get an insider's look at her artistic process as she crafts her eye-catching surface designs that keep inspiring us all.

Don't miss the chance to see creativity in action! Join us today on the show.

Georgie also has a video on YouTube presented by Ceramic Review Masterclass @ceramicreview. Check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoajCl8PVI&t=71...

Come and join us today for a a great conversation with the wonderful Morel Doucet. Morel, currently residing in Florida, and originally from Haiti, is now a full time artist and educator.

Bob Acton and Morel https://www.moreldoucet.com/ had a wonderful conversation about his work, his purpose in producing they type of work he does, and, of course, colour and surface design.

From his artist statement:

My work explores the cultural disparity of self- realization, assimilation, and transnational identity as a Haitian immigrant. Using direct or implied human figures, I explore...

Welcome to this episode with Michelle Gregor. She is a leading sculptor and painter in California, USA . We discussed her approach to ceramic sculpture and her style in using colour in surface design.

Her sculptures have remarkably nuanced surfaces that are the end product of a great deal of improvisation and hard work. We talked about her work, each of which often goes through as many as seven or eight firings at a high temperature (low stoneware) setting that gives them their characteristic hard surfaces. Using water as a medium, Gregor applies color in pools, patches and...

Bob Acton had a delightful conversation on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast with Margaret Keelan, a Canadian sculptor now living in California. Bob and Margaret spoke about her journey in clay, her approach to colour and surface design, and she shared some helpful ideas for clay artists.

You can connect with Margaret on her Instagram page here. https://www.instagram.com/margaretkeelan and her website https://margaretkeelan.com/

We hope you enjoy the show.

You can check out all the episodes on our website at https://colourandceramics.com/

In this episode, Bob talks with Chris Riccardo who works out of Montana, USA. Chris is known for his figurative sculptures both human form and animals. Bob and Chris talked about his journey in clay, how he approaches his work, and Chris talks about his current studio Omerta Arts in Helena, Montana.

You can reach Chris at his website https://chrisriccardo.com/ or his Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/chris_riccardo.

Welcome to the Naomi Clement episode where Bob and Naomi talk all things clay. Bob and Naomi talk discuss her approach to colour and Naomi's approach to her rich, dynamic surface design. Naomi also talks about her journey in clay, her mentoring program, and her school "Maker's Mark" as she is focused on helping creatives make a living from art.

Join us for a great conversation with this wonderful Canadian artist.

You can reach Naomi here on her website https://naomiclement.com and you can also reach here here on her Instagram page https://www...

Bob Acton had a great conversation with Melissa Weiss about her work. Bob and Melissa talked about approaches to creative work, her processes of clay selection, colour and surface design (of course), and she had some wonderful ideas about her creative process.

You can find Melissa at her website https://www.melissaweisspottery.com/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/melissaweisspottery/

We hope you enjoy the show.

Today's Colour and Ceramics Podcast episode, features the vibrant Nick Benard from @nbernardpottery. Prepare for a whirlwind discussion with Bob @bobacton, as we dive into Nick's art, enveloped in mesmerizing colours and intricate surface designs. Spoiler, he's also got some killer tips on navigating the art world!

Operating from scenic Scottsdale, Arizona, Nick crafts breathtaking vessels that we're absolutely smitten with! Don't just take our word for it, hop over to his Instagram @nbernardpottery and let your eyes feast on his creations! Go a little further down the rabbit hole and explore at https://nbenard.com...

In this episode, Bob Acton and Lisa McGrath had a great conversation about her beautiful work. While we talked about her functional and sculptural work and her approach to colour and surface design, she shared an interesting story about how her use of a coloured lichen glaze came to be,

You can find more about Lisa on her Instagram Page here https://www.instagram.com/ipotlisa/ and on her website https://www.bramblestudio.ca/

I hope you enjoy the show!

Bob @bobacton had a great conversation with Mark Dally @markdallyceramics about his beautiful work using mostly black slips. We talked about his journey in clay, how he overcomes problems in his practice, some of his business practice, and, of course we talked about surface design and his thoughts about the use of colour.

You can find Mark on his website here https://www.markdallyceramics.co.uk/ and on his Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/markdallyceramics/.

Mark also produces his own line of slip trailers and you can find them here https://www.sliptrailer...

We are beyond thrilled and blessed today to have the distinctive talent of Craig Underhill gracing the Colour and Ceramics Podcast! @colourandceramics

Hailing from the UK, Craig is an extraordinary ceramic artist and painter whose exceptional use of colour and surface design gives birth to truly awe-inspiring hand built sculptural works. Craig generously offered insights into his creative process, his unique style reflected in his treatment of surfaces, and his passion for colour (you guessed it, it's a colour podcast after all).

Not only did Craig and I engage in this exploration, but our friend...

Welcome to the Colour and Ceramics Podcast.

Bob Acton @bobacton had a great conversation with Adrian Arleo about her sculpture work and her use of colour and surface design.

Check out Adrian's website here https://www.adrianarleo.com/ and her Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/adrianarleo/

Bob Acton enjoyed a good conversation with Mathew O'Reilly about his work, his use of colour, and his thoughts about surface design.

You can find about about Matthew on his website here http://www.mattheworeilly.ca/ and his Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/matthewosmiley

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you find your podcasts and leave us a review as it helps others find the podcast.

Enjoy Bob's interview with Barry Stedman, a UK potter who uses brilliant colours in his work. Bob and Barry talk about his journey in clay, his use of colour and the specific techniques he uses to produce such lovely work.

Barry can be found on his website at https://www.barrystedman.co.uk/ and in Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/barrystedman

In today's episode, Bob Acton has a lovely conversation with Miche Follano where they discuss colour, slips, surface design and ideas about how to produce beautiful work.

Inspired by her love affair with collage, printing and painting, Miche's current body of work uses the urban landscapes to inspire a contemporary interpretation. The interplay between surface and form, the ways in which colours exist side by side provide infinite ways of how clay can be transformed into rich, visceral and personally expressive individual statements.

Intuitive mark making, lithography and clay manipulation, combined with careful deliberation on...

Welcome to the Colour and Ceramics Podcast and Bob's interview with Richard Wilson. Bob and Richard talk about his journey in clay and his approach to colour and surface design.

Richard was born and brought up in Norwich, and has been making pots since the early 1970s. After studying for two years at Great Yarmouth College of Art, he worked from 1974 to 1980 at Le Dieu Pottery in Norwich before spending 3 years in Australia and New Zealand, and a further five in Germany, working with many potters using different techniques, in particular woodfired salt glazes.

He...