Joanna's Clay Workshops

15/03/2026

I have just updated my Etsy shop with another of my ‘Life Force’ figurative sculptures - here’s the link to visit my shop page to see it -

This Fine Art Ceramics item is sold by JoannaEspiner. Ships from United Kingdom. Listed on Mar 15, 2026

11/03/2026

Clay Club is back in action at my local primary school - I lead children on Wednesday mornings in making pieces from their imaginations in an hour before school starts. It’s amazing how much is created in this short session during which I lose track of time. The pieces from today and last week are now drying in my workshop so that I can bisque fire them before next week’s glazing session. I value this chance to share my skills on and to see hands, minds and imaginations in action.

07/03/2026

07/03/2026

Here’s a little hand painted ceramic lidded pot which I’ve just listed on my Etsy shop - see below for the link. A lovely little container to brighten up a kitchen shelf or dressing table for anyone who loves chickens. I painted it during a visit to a pottery painting cafe with my mother, a special afternoon of taking time to make things together. I hope it will make another mother happy this Mother’s Day - perhaps one who loves chickens or birds.

https://joannaespiner.etsy.com/listing/4468083696

05/03/2026

Are you looking for a meaningful gift for International Women's Day or for a woman who’s special to you? This original ceramic figure — arms outstretched, full of vitality and joy — celebrates the spirit of womanhood.
Thrown on the potter's wheel and shaped by hand, i wanted to capture a moment of pure aliveness — to feel expansive, embodied, and present. Her form is full and grounded, with arms stretched wide overhead as if embracing life and the world.
The surface is decorated with loose, expressive brushwork in layers of slate blue, golden ochre, warm cream, deep black, and earthy mauve across her form — colours that shift and merge. The painterly decoration is spontaneous and free, to echo her spirit.
I made her to embody the feeling of being alive, to carry the energy of spring — new beginnings, vitality, and joy. Whether for yourself or someone you love, I think this is a piece that quietly says: feel everything, be alive.

This Fine Art Ceramics item is sold by JoannaEspiner. Dispatched from United Kingdom. Listed on 05 Mar, 2026

17/12/2025

I felt proud of the children for the pieces they created at Clay Club this term. I biscuit fired all their creations this time and they selected one piece each to glaze so that they could experience the complete ceramic journey from raw clay to glazed artworks. They found this new element of working with Clay both curious and challenging - brushing on the thick glaze which was not the colour it would eventually emerge from the kiln. They were excited by the feel of the glossy glazed pieces after the firing. One child remarked on how the black hat on the snowman looked like obsidian. Another said he would use the cup he’d made for water during the day instead of his water bottle. So I feel that this experience of seeing how the clay can be transformed through the ceramic process has opened their minds up to new creative possibilities.

23/10/2025

This memory popped up on my phone this morning - tealight holders made at a winter workshop I led during one of the first pottery courses I ran. I’ve been running clay exploration workshops for nearly 10 years now, sharing ceramic skills and knowledge which I’ve learned and gathered throughout my life. The workshops and courses have shown me the unique way each person responds to clay and makes their own mark, from young children to older adults, and how working with clay surprises people with how it responds to touch. I’m taking a pause in my workshop practice to look back at the workshops and courses I have run, together with the archive of ceramic pieces I’ve created over the years, and explore what aspects I would like to share next. In the meantime I will be sharing my archive discoveries with you here.