Shannon Bartlett-Smith
Shannon Bartlett-Smith is a Cornwall-based potter who honours the everyday beauty found in using ceramic wares. Working from her own pottery studio since 2021, Shannon creates beautiful objects that celebrate the honest dialogue between maker and material.Her journey with clay began during her studies at Bristol School of Art, where early mornings at the wheel cultivated a deep appreciation for the meditative qualities inherent in working with clay. This connection has evolved into over a decade of creating ceramics, with countless exhibitions across the UK celebrating her beautiful works, including being shortlisted for the New Designers ‘Designer of the Year’ award in 2015.
After moving to Cornwall and studying Contemporary Crafts at Falmouth University, her work was significantly shaped by an 18-month internship at the prestigious Leach Pottery. Here, she immersed herself in studio pottery traditions and Japanese ideologies that continue to influence her practice today, particularly in bridging her paper-cut designs from her degree with traditional ceramic techniques. Her works speak to the Japanese idea of ‘Yō-no-bi (用美)’ — ‘the beauty in using everyday craft objects’.
Following her internship, she taught and ran courses at the Leach Pottery, sharing the gift of working with clay with others. She has spent the last four years developing her practise in her own studio, situated at Bosulval studios in the heart of the West Penwith countryside.
Each piece is made with a deep commitment to sustainability, incorporating thoughtful choices such as lower-temperature firing, clean energy usage, and responsibly sourced clay. Her work embraces the visible traces of its creation; the gentle impression of a finger during glazing, or the organic forms that emerge from hand-building. Each of Shannon's ceramics tells the story of its creation, resulting in kitchenware that's both beautiful to look at and a joy to use.
“The pots I make are honest and long lasting, a balance between function and form. I focus on making pieces which are not only beautiful to look at but are a pleasure to use too.”
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