Meet our Resident Potters/ Guildford Pottery Interview with Holly James

Guildford Pottery is an independent pottery studio founded by Paul and Wing, located in New House Art Space. Holly caught up with them to hear about their passion for pots, where it all began, and how aspiring potters can get started. For more information and class booking visit https://www.guildfordpottery.com/ and stay in the know on Instagram @guildford_pottery.

First of all, hello! Please introduce yourselves and share how you started with ceramics.

Hello! We’re Wing and Paul, the owners of Guildford Pottery. We’ve been running the studio at New House for almost two years, and we come from very different backgrounds. Paul left a corporate career in 2017 and retrained in ceramics with a particular interest in making props for TV and film, while Wing originally worked in graphic design before coming to the UK to study her Masters in Ceramics at Farnham.

We’re both endlessly fascinated by what can be created from raw earth, and honestly, every kiln opening still feels like Christmas morning.

What aspect of the pottery process do you find the most exciting?

Alchemy, every time. Whether it’s adding different materials into clay or experimenting with glaze recipes, the transformations in colour and texture never get old. We’ve developed all our studio glazes from our own formulas, which evolve constantly as we discover new combinations and techniques.

Potters can and do often buy their glazes pre-mixed from the suppliers, however we like to understand the chemistry behind colour and how the earth's raw materials can be used and combined to create. It's a constant source of excitement and inspiration. No holiday abroad is complete without rock samples being brought back for test firing..!

What type of work do you enjoy making when not teaching?

Paul enjoys exploring shapes and functional forms inspired by ancient British pottery, connecting with the people who came before us. Understanding the techniques and materials used by our ancestors is fascinating and also incredibly useful when recreating pieces for TV or film.

Wing loves sculptural work—playing with texture, colour and form, and even incorporating non-ceramic elements. For sculpture, there are no limits.

Do you have a favourite ceramic artist right now?

Wing: I’m currently following Zemer Peled, who creates incredible floral sculptures using ceramic shards.

Paul: I tend to look back in time and often outside ceramics entirely. Lately I’ve been obsessed with Anglo-Saxon garnet and gold jewellery.

What’s the best tip you’d give aspiring potters today?

Play. Enjoy the making process and don’t get too attached to the result. If you make something once, you can make it again—and every time you do, it gets better.

What TV shows and films has Guildford Pottery made work for?

Over the last few years we've made work for Game of Thrones, The Witcher, House of the Dragon and excitingly, we've got around 80 pieces in the new Wicked Part 2 movie. The pieces are in Elpheba's childhood home and consist of large vases with ridiculous handles and colourful plates of various sizes.

What does Guildford Pottery offer, and how can people get involved?

We run one-off workshops where anyone can try throwing pottery on the wheel, and we fire and glaze the pieces.

For those who want to learn more, we offer a four-week beginners’ course designed to give you a solid foundation in throwing. After that, students can book “Open Access” sessions on Friday evenings or Sunday afternoons to keep practising independently.

We also offer intermediate classes from time to time for those who want to keep developing their skills.

For details and booking, visit guildfordpottery.com.