Lauren’s Pottery Career

Lauren is a potter, currently living and working in the beautiful region of D&G.

Studying at Glasgow School of Art - BA (hons) Ceramics (graduating in 2000) under Archie McCall and also learning from talents such as Fergus Stewart of Highland Stoneware, imbued a love of throwing at the wheel. This was further embedded when spending a formative year in South Devon doing a Pottery Apprenticeship at Dartington Pottery. The highlight was receiving 1:1 throwing tuition from Alan White (Poole Pottery) and Rob Sollis - this is where Lauren learned to production throw and continued as a Thrower after finishing the apprenticeship. A chance encounter took her to North Devon where she set up her own studio and began teach ceramics at a local college and lived for 17 years, before moving back to Scotland in 2017 to be closer to family.

Alongside making beautiful tableware Lauren runs Clay Works Studios Dumfries with her husband and fellow potter, Chris Taylor. The studio provides a friendly, informal and supportive environment where everyone is welcome to come and get hands on with Clay, learn new Ceramic techniques and/or develop existing skills.

“I have been making pots for almost 30 years and I still get excited by the process of taking a soft lump of clay and turning it into a useful ceramic vessel.

I feel so grateful to be living life as a potter - making objects that people can both use and admire.”