Ruth Readman

I make hand-built ceramic forms that bring together structure and surface. My work is shaped by childhood memories of the Dorset coastline, from stormy walks along the coastal paths to night fishing on Chesil Beach and fossil hunting at Kimmeridge and Lyme Regis. These landscapes are always shifting, worn and remade by erosion, and I’m drawn to that sense of something never quite fixed. I’m not trying to capture a specific place. Instead, I want the work to hold a moment that feels familiar, so the viewer can find their own memories within it.

I focus on simple, balanced forms that sit comfortably with the textures I build onto them. The form and surface work together, allowing soft washes of colour to settle and bring a sense of unity. I work slowly, building by hand using coils and slabs, often firing in stages and adjusting as I go. Most pieces are taken to stoneware temperatures. I keep working until each piece feels resolved, grounded and complete.