Signature Origins

These are the roots of some of our favourite design lines

 

Snoots

It’s strange how random an idea can be. Some days you sit at the wheel and you draw a blank....no idea what to make, so you throw a bowl or a vase....anything just to break the creative block.

I have quite a few such pieces at home and one day, faced with trimming yet another vase, I figured that if I turned it on it’s side and used a globe base and feet, it might at least be a little more interesting to look at. Before long, it was well on its way to becoming a watering can...and very dull! But in the early hours of the morning, several glasses of wine and much head-scratching later, it suddenly hit me....“that thing needs ears!”

BAM! “Snoot” was born! Not quite pig, not quite space alien, this cheeky chappie will raise a smile at the table. Wine, water or gravy, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one.... and it’s much less hassle than a dog!

 

Bird Pods

We used to live near a forest in Germany and one of my lasting memories of that place was the almost deafening cacophony of early morning bird song in Springtime.

So today, one of my favourite things is still to sit in the garden and enjoy the birds... and that needs a good supply of bird goodies.

Unfortunately for me, many commercially available bird feeders fall into either the “quaint” or “plasticky” category, so naturally I had to have a crack at making my own.

They’re based on organic suspended forms, but I like to play with the way they hang and especially how to hang several pods together. To be honest, my bird feeder obsession is a little out of control these days, I’ve lost count of the varieties I’ve tried out…… but the birds keep on coming!

 

Rockets

Our rockets are pure self indulgence. I’ve always been a fan of science fiction and nothing beats the pure childhood magic of a good old-fashioned Rocket Ship.

I once found myself pondering a pile of surplus feet from a mug project and started playing with the shapes, combining them into something vaguely familiar.... Several hundred punched rivets later, I had a small fleet of Flash Gordon’s finest on my bench!

The latest versions are slip cast from 3D printed masters I designed and built in CAD. I’m also thoroughly enjoying the magic that Raku brings to their forms.

In Southern California there are more rocket scientists per square mile than anywhere else on the planet… now you know what to get them for their birthday!

 

Tripod Mugs

For a while now, I’ve been striving to develop an iconic form that lets you cradle a warm drink in your hands, like nursing a brandy glass. They’ve gradually evolved into a slim-waisted form with a globe base, which is nice to hold... but not easy to put down!!

Consequently, I’ve also been experimenting with the use of legs instead of a flat base. Apart from feeling great in the hand, these “all terrain” feet give stability on uneven surfaces and don’t leave rings on treasured wood veneer!

They’re great for all drinks, but work particularly well with a cold beer, especially if you freeze your mug before pouring!

I prefer them visually without handles, but had to recognise that you really need one for hot drinks! I did however develop a “signature” handle design which you will see repeated on many of our pieces

 

Aquaform

I first developed this molding process over 25 years ago at college following an internship in Osaka. I was struck by how much water is revered in Japanese culture and so wanted to create sensual objects inspired by fluidity.

After months of artistic wrangling, I landed on the idea of using fluid weight to organically deform a thin latex membrane. In the end, the process evolved and now I create natural forms by deforming latex into simple flat wooden tools using the fluid weight of plaster. The resulting molds have an immaculate surface finish and are used directly to drape slab. With the addition of our signature feet, the Aquaform family was created.

It’s still early days with this technique, I think it has a lot of potential and we’re playing with a range of shapes, patterns and textures.

See something you like?

We’d love to help you bring your ideas to life!