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About Sea Drift Pottery
Ceramics created at Sea Drift Pottery evoke Scotland's west coast in the layered slips and glazes. Functionality is key and the simplicity of form and use are carefully considered to allow each item to be part of your everyday life.
Having spent many years learning from professional potters and attending community run classes, Pauline Beautyman set up her own studio in 2016 near Dunoon, Argyll. Here she creates her own style of ceramics and also teaches those who want to carry on the tradition of throwing pots on the pottery wheel through workshops and regular classes.
Pauline puts a lot of thought into the design; to how it will be used, held, lifted, stacked and stored. Her style has developed through the roots of traditional teaching and the depth of knowledge given by those potters. It has given strength to her motivation of functionality and simplicity of shape and form.
Each pot made at Sea Drift Pottery is made of stoneware clay, thrown on the potters wheel and developed at each stage by Pauline until complete then fired twice in the electric kiln.
Pauline enjoys the rhythm and repetition of throwing all the pots in small batches. At this stage each pot is measured for uniformity but when it comes to layering up the decoration, each one is made slightly different to retain their unique character.
The decoration of each pot is achieved by layering various coloured clays, some of which have been found locally, and applying them sparingly but with thought to what the final look will be. The range of clay slips, makeshift tools, plus the glazes which have been developed at the studio, all build towards the final outcome of each pot.
Inspiration of how to glaze and decorate the pottery comes easily being completely surrounded by the hills and shorelines of Argyll. Holidays to the Argyll islands, family times exploring hills and glens, building rock sculptures on the beaches are experiences brought directly to the finished look of each piece of pottery. The 'Sea & Sky' pots evokes happy memories of Scotland's west coast, a range of blue and grey glazes layered to represent the ever changing weather. The 'Winter' pots, in pale glazes, scored and speckled, are directly influenced by the fascinating patterns in icy puddles found on the forest tracks each winter. The 'Pebble' pots with their texture and layers of browns and creams represent the shorelines nearby with their ready supply of pebbles to skim on the loch.
Pauline's pottery can be found at various galleries and independent shops supporting work which is solely handmade.
Learn Something New in a Welcoming Environment
Where You Can Buy
You can buy Sea Drift Pottery work online and locally in a variety of Scottish art studios and galleries.
If you have a gallery or a shop which exclusively sells handmade work and you would like to stock my handmade ceramics then please do get in touch.
- Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
- Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright
- Coastal Designs, Campbeltown, Argyll
- Sea Pink Gallery, Isle of Colonsay
- Tig Gallery, Tighnabruaich, Argyll
- Love Dove Studios, Lochgilphead
- Sunshine No.1, Mount Florida, Glasgow
- Saltwater Gallery, Isle of Arran
Getting Here
Local Directions
From around the Dunoon area: Drive to Sandbank and into the marina, straight past the boat shed towards the main office. Turn left at the end of the boat shed and park.
From the North
Drive into Sandbank with Holy Loch on your left. Take the first turning left in the village and the entrance to the marina is on the left at the bend in the road. Drive into the marina, straight past the boat shed towards the main office. Turn left at the end of the boat shed and park.
From the West
If you are visiting from the other side of the Clyde, take the Western Ferry from Gourock to Hunters Quay. When you get off the ferry turn right and follow the shore road to Sandbank. After you pass the play park on your right you will come to a sharp bend in the road to your left. At this bend, the marina is on your right. Drive into the marina, straight past the boat shed towards the main office. Turn left at the end of the boat shed and park.