Beautifully unique ceramics

Gill on the potters wheel

Welcome to Gill Balfour Ceramics

I make handmade white stoneware ceramics that are both functional and beautiful. I come from a design background and am fascinated with texture. I want my pots to be held, used and enjoyed.

Favourites

a collection of Gill's work on shelves in her studio

The inestimable value of uniqueness

I have always been curious and creative and have an enormous passion for anything ceramic.

When it comes to making I want to try everything, I love learning and experimenting and am fortunate in having the time to do both.

As a result very few of my ceramics are repeats, I will try something until it works for me, which usually means a couple of failures followed by success, and then I'll try something else.

My desire is to keep on developing my skills, this means that the items on my shop are all pretty much unique.

Of course when somebody wants two of something I will oblige, but, any more than that and I begin to think we’re heading into the uncreative realms of standardisation. This is really not something I subscribe to nor enjoy, since I marvel at happy accidents, unexpected outcomes and spurious imperfections.

In a world of mass production I like to think that unique is hugely more desirable, and a dab of creativity worth a whole lot more than a dollop of perfection.

The Leaf Plate