Craft Festival, Bovey Tracey 2026

by Sarah Monk | Jun 8, 2026 | News

New designs!

I have been steadily working behind the scenes developing new designs to exhibit at the prestigious and award winning Craft Festival!It takes place from the 12th – 14th June at Mill Marsh Park, Bovey Tracey in Devon. It brings together hundreds of curated makers to showcase high-quality ceramics, jewellery, textiles, and glass, alongside workshops, demonstrations, live music, and local food.

I’m really looking forward to it!

Craft Festival is this week, woohoo! So today I’m selecting pieces for my display!” (see Sarah me arranging my dresser on Instagram here)

A lady with long blond hair and glasses, wearing blue jeans and a brown checked short sleeve top is stood leaning against a painted blue and white dresser filled with pink handmade pottery including a selection of flower bricks.

A pink pottery fruit punnet decorated with drawn flower motifs. It contains fresh strawberries and has a banner at the bottom of the picture saying Craft Festival, Bovey Tracey, 12 - 14 June 2026

A dresser display with 3 shelves full of pink pottery made by Sarah Monk

I have many new pieces to bring (it’s been a productive year!)… so it’s hard to choose! I think I’m going to mix some blue and white pieces together with some pink. The pink is a very recent development… I only started it this year, it’s so new! I’m thrilled with results so far and I hope everyone likes it!
This dresser is coming with me too…. ordinarily it sits here at one end of our main studio. I use it to showcase my latest ideas! So I think it will be lovely to bring a little corner of our Eastnor Pottery studio to Devon!

Come and say ‘hello’, I’m on stand B57.

Hope to see you there!
Sarah x

Craft Festival Bovey Tracey is one of the country’s most respected craft events, welcoming over 10,000 visitors every year from across the UK and beyond

Buy Craft Festival Tickets here!

A wheel thrown handmade pottery set. A matching plate, juicer and jug in white with large blue painted dots all over it.

An oval flower brick with sgraffito flowers etched all over it. The flower brick contains a flower arrangement of pink asters.

Two rectangular pink flower bricks, one large, one smaller. They are decorated with large brown dots.

Christmas Open Studio at Eastnor Pottery

by Sarah Monk | Nov 13, 2025 | Exhibitions, News

Herefordshire Art Week

Having had such a wonderful Herefordshire Art Week here at Eastnor Pottery in September, we’re delighted to be participating in the h.Art Christmas Open Studio Weekends 29 & 30 November and 6 & 7 December 2025.

Three good reasons to visit Eastnor before Christmas!

Not only will myself & (my husband and fellow potter) Jon Williams be opening our festive studio but, our friend and neighbour, blacksmith Andrew Findlay will be opening Eastnor Forge too!

For those of you who haven’t visited Eastnor before, The Pottery and Forge are within 100 metres of each other, occupying independent historic buildings on the Eastnor Castle Estate.

Andrew Findlay – Eastnor Forge

Andrew has 40 years experience as an artist blacksmith and shaper of metal. He has completed a plethora of residential and commercial decorative metalwork projects worldwide. The distinctive style and appearance of his work comes from many years of risk taking, experimentation and learning through doing.

Check out his runner bean bird baths, gingko leaf sculpture and organically inspired garden furniture. Fire-irons, bronze key fobs and letter openers make for wonderful stocking fillers.

Jon Williams – Eastnor Pottery

Jon will be showing his interactive and decorative one offs constructed entirely from sections made on the potter’s wheel. Some pieces are intended to live outside, others are designed to be handled, shaken, tapped or submersed in water – all inspired by nature and natural forms.

Sarah Monk – Eastnor Pottery

I will be exhibiting a wide range of slipware pieces, from small buttons to the largest of flower bricks! I’m very excited to be turning our lovely studio into a grotto of ceramic delights. This is a perfect opportunity to find that one of a kind Christmas gift or simply soak up the festive atmosphere around our studios.

A portrait photo of Jon Williams sat at a potters wheel, hands clasped together resting on the wheel, he is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a black t-shirt, he has curly hair.

Sarah Monk wearing a blue cardigan, sat at her workspace table turning around to look at the camera, she is holding a pottery tool and smiling.

A portrait photo of Andrew Findlay, wearing his blacksmiths apron and wearing a black cap. He is looking at the camera with a slight smile. He is stood and both arms are leaning on an anvil and hammer set in front of him.

The Forge and Pottery will be open 10am – 4pm with festive refreshment on offer in both settings. If you can’t make one of the h.Art weekends, Eastnor Pottery Studio shop is open all year round 10am – 4pm Tuesday – Saturday…right up until and including Saturday 20^th December.

h.Art map reference: 107

Eastnor Pottery, Home Farm, Eastnor, Near Ledbury , Herefordshire, HR8 1EW

What 3 Words:

clubbing.glitz.revolting

Directions:

Eastnor is located 2 miles East of Ledbury on the A438. Ledbury – Tewkesbury road. Once in the village follow the pink Herefordshire Art Week signs.

I look forward to seeing you

Sarah x

A bowl and spoon set. The bowl is green on the outside with painted black spots, inside the bowl is cream and brown. The spoon is matching.

Three iron blacksmith poppy heads on metal sticks.

A ceramic sculpture of a light green pear and it's core.

Article for Ceramic Review Jan/Feb 2025

by Sarah Monk | Jan 1, 2025 | News

I have some wonderful news for all pottery enthusiasts! I have written an article for the prestigious bi-monthly magazine, Ceramic Review.

‘Potter’s Secrets’ is a regular feature designed to shed light on selected artist’s making processes. I’m always open to sharing my pottery techniques, so this came easily. We’re all about de-mystifying all things pottery during our classes here at Eastnor Pottery. Me and Jon Williams have been sharing our pottery secrets with our visitors for the past 30 years!

work in progress studio shot of slipware bt Sarah Monk Ceramics

A hand made ceramic flower brick in sun yellow decorated with brown sgraffito flowers flowers. Made by Sarah Monk Ceramics displayed holding fresh white daisies, white chrysanthemum and pink cyclamen.

terracotta clay pots waiting to be decorated with slip in the studio of sarah monk ceramics

I decided to share with the readers, how I make one of my favourite objects, a yellow flower brick. I make these using a method called ‘soft slabbing’, using terracotta clay. The article goes into great detail about my slip decoration, sgraffito and glazing techniques.

The January/February 2025 edition, issue number 331 can be purchased via the Ceramic Review website.

Sarah x

Herefordshire Open Studios: H.Art

by Sarah Monk | Sep 11, 2022 | News, Uncategorized

From the 3rd ’till the 11th September 2022 it’s Herefordshire Art Week, or H.Art as it is fondly known!

flower brick work in progress ata eastnor pottery by sarah monk

#herefordshireartweek heralds an exciting 9 days of open studios. There’s over 130 artistans taking part. Here at Eastnor Pottery, myself and my husband/ fellow potter Jon Williams are venue at 121.

All welcome, please come and browse our studio shop, take a look at our pottery experiences teaching space and talk all things pottery!

Article in Clay Craft Magazine Issue 40

by Sarah Monk | Sep 30, 2020 | inspiration, News, Pottery Studio Life

Lovely article in Clay Craft Magazine!

Ceramic journalist Paul Bailey writes about how I got into ceramics and the current everyday running of my Herefordshire studio. Paul delves into the courses and workshops and the inspiration behind my most recent designs.

Clay Craft Magazine is jam packed full of inspiration for potters as well as providing simple projects for all abilities. Such a lovely vibrant magazine!

Thank you Clay Craft and a big thank you to Paul for writing it!

You can find my proflie article in Issue 40 and it’s titled ‘Surrounded By Ceramics’.

slipware cup handmade spoon and biscuit plate by sarah monk ceramics plus clay craft magazine font cover

holding a slipware cup with tea inside and holding magazine article

scribble hand thrown teapot by sarah monk ceramic

When I recieved my copy, I settled down in the corner of my studio with a nice cup of tea, a few biscuits and had a good read!

I have now ordered a subsription and look forward to receiving it regularly!

Emerging Potters Magazine.

by Sarah Monk | Apr 17, 2020 | inspiration, News, Pottery Studio Life

I’ve been featured in a lovely online magazine! It’s called Emerging Potters and contains 35 pages of ceramic artists, gallery news and book reviews. Paul Bailey, the editor asked me six questions: how I got into ceramics, a bit about Eastnor Pottery, my influences, where I sell, how do I use social media and my observations of how pottery has changed in the last 5 years. Paul has put my answers into a beautifully wriiten three page article.

The feature can be found in the April to June copy, Issue 14 . The magazine is produced quarterly on the ISSUU platform. Paul is very happy to send a copy if you email: paulbailey123@googlemail.com

You can also follow Emerging Potters on Instagram here!

Paul has also asked for some extra images of my work to write an article for Clay Craft Magazine. Thanks Paul!!!!

Ceramic Rabbit in Puzzle Wood.

by Sarah Monk | Apr 17, 2020 | News, Outside

Making ceramic bunnies is not my usual bag I admit, but when Helen, from Puzzle Wood put a call out to local Potters to contribute to her Rabbit trail I couldn’t resist! Puzzle Wood is a magical ancient woodland in the Forest of Dean. It’s a great place to explore with the kids, as we have done many times with our own and is a popular TV and film location. Helen’s idea was to launch a kid’s trail over the usually busy Easter weekend.

I started making my contribution back in February, deciding to hand coil it. A technique I never ever use, but thought it would be fun to do something different. I used terracotta clay because it has a deep, earthy colour very fitting for a rich, earthy forest. Once built, I covered the whole rabbit in white slip and then scratched into it with simplified flowers and splatters of cobalt blue. I wanted it to be blue & white; a classic ceramic pallet that would stand out against a backdrop of forest green.

Unfortunately because of the pandemic, Puzzle Wood closed to the public. Helen decided to continue her plans in a different way and turned it into The Great Virtual Puzzle Wood Easter Trail!! Available to view on their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.

There’s a colouring competition too, with lots of great prizes, including a couple from us here at Eastnor Pottery!

How I first got into ceramics.

by Sarah Monk | Feb 17, 2020 | inspiration, Pottery Studio Life

At the age of four my parents got a dog. I loved going on dog walks, strolling through the fields and playing in streams. I can remember finding clay, I took some home in my hand. I picked out the stones and played with the gritty clay.

Growing up, I was surrounded by ceramics as my Dad collected Antiques. We had glass fronted cabinets at home that would rattle and chink when I walked past. Piles of ‘Miller’s Guide’ books to look through. My Mum also collected a slipware, more commonly known as motto ware. Most of it was made by Watcombe. She had a collection of over 500 pieces adorning two pine dressers. I enjoyed picking them up, reading all the sgraffitto sayings and running my fingertips over the slip -railed patterns.

Doing a degree in Ceramics at Bath Spa University seemed like a natural progression for me. There I met Jon Williams, a fellow ceramics student and eventually my husband to be. We were hard working students and made the most of all the studio time provided.

Jon and I decided to set up a studio together. We settled for beautiful rural Herefordshire. An old redundant cottage on the Eastnor Castle Estate became available.

New designs!

I’m really looking forward to it!

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