Masterclass with Alison West

I grew up in rural Hampshire, one of six children, with the freedom to explore fields, hedgerows and woods. Our garden held a seam of clay, which we eagerly dug into, shaping simple pinch pots that we dried on the Aga. It was just one of many childhood experiments. Clay didn’t find its way back to me again until much later in life but, when it did, it became transformative. In the 1990s, I lived in Kasama, Japan, a region rich in ceramic heritage near Mashiko.

I taught English to local and master potters, many of whom became dear friends and clients. At the time, I didn’t fully realise how privileged I was to be immersed in such a profound ceramic culture. Kasama’s reverence for pottery – woven into tradition and everyday life – resonated strongly with me. Although I wasn’t yet making pots myself, those years planted seeds that would flourish later.

In 2004, I returned to the UK with four young children, settling on Dartmoor. Life’s serendipity brought me into contact with the potter Penny Simpson, whose connection to Japan and thoughtful approach to ceramics helped me reconnect with clay. Later, I studied at college part-time in 3D Design with Bruce Chivers. He encouraged my curiosity and experimentation, allowing me to try my first saggar firing in the college’s gas kiln. Alternative firing methods appealed to me, matching my temperament by embracing unpredictability, risk and transformation.

In one early saggar firing, I placed a pot on a fern, which left behind a delicate smoky imprint that captivated me. That moment opened a door to an evolving process of exploration. Working with clay gave a voice to feelings that words could not express, especially through the difficult years after my marriage ended. Attempt, failure, repeat – through shaping, breaking and beginning again, I found strength, rebuilt myself and rediscovered purpose. At heart, I am a thrower, returning to the wheel as part of a continuous cycle of making and remaking.

Today, I work from a small studio in a converted tack room on a Georgian estate near Chagford in Devon. I throw Cornish stoneware forms inspired by Eastern shapes and Greek vessels. Using wild clays gathered from riverbeds and local seams, I create slips and terra sigillatas to decorate my pots. Each piece is sprayed with wild clay terra sigillata, polished, wrapped with foraged plant material and saggar-fired in a gas kiln. The results are always unique, shaped by fire and combinations of natural materials and elements.

In this masterclass, I will guide you through my saggar-firing process – from wild clay preparation and surface decoration to wrapping and kiln control. These pots are deeply rooted in nature, formed through repetition and designed to invite curiosity and joy. 

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