Taylor Shaw Ceramics
My practice explores the relationship between ceramics, landscape and material culture through locally gathered clay, traditional firing methods and functional pottery. Rooted in an ongoing body of research, Making With Place, my work investigates how ceramics can reconnect us with the landscapes we inhabit, transforming local materials into objects that carry the story of where they came from.
The Scarborough Pottery
Alongside my own practice, I founded The Scarborough Pottery, a community ceramics studio in Scarborough offering wheel throwing courses, workshops and studio membership. It is a place for people to discover clay, develop their skills and experience the joy of making by hand.
Wood Firing
Wood firing is central to my practice and research. Firing with wood is a slow, collaborative process where flame, ash and atmosphere become active participants in making. Each firing is unique, with natural ash deposits, flashing and subtle variations in surface recording the journey through the kiln.
Through ongoing training and firings, I continue to explore how traditional wood-firing techniques can deepen the relationship between material, place and process. The unpredictability of the kiln is embraced as part of the work, creating pieces that cannot be replicated and that carry the memory of both the landscape and the fire.
