Tilly Leaf Mellor - Potter

My love of working with clay began at school where I was inspired by a magnificent ceramics teacher. I studied A-level Ceramics, English Literature and Biology. During this time I taught an evening Ceramics class to 7-14 year olds. In 1997 I studied for a National Diploma in Art and Design, focusing on ceramics and drawing. Most of my drawings were concentrated on objects in the natural world including rock formations, bones and human form. In 1998 I studied a studio Ceramics Degree at Falmouth College of Art in Cornwall. I loved Cornwall and immediately sucked up the inspiring rugged coastline and magnificent sunsets to make use of a good amount of facilities at the college. I achieved a BA hons and for the next couple of years I worked on hand-built forms from my kitchen table and fired them at a local school. I fabricated a smoke firing kiln in my back garden. In 2006 I joined a potter (and now dear friend) at Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre. We became business partners and collaborating potters until 2009. Since then I am still enjoying developing the functional, wheel thrown ranges aswell as the sculptural studio ware that I produce; nothing stands still when you are a maker, that is what I love about my job, there is always something new on the horizon!