Arts Thread

The Potters Chair is a chair for makers designed by a maker. The principal purpose of this chair is to work alongside a potter’s wheel, the seat and frame are not connected which enables the seat to be positioned on different tilts, this allows the potter to sit in a better position when throwing. Designed for utilitarian use, every element is considered and serves the motive. The entire seat is handcrafted from Oak. Each strut of the frame is turned, the back rest is laminated, with small brass features and a ceramic coin which allows the potter to stamp their own makers mark on the chair. The organic-shaped seat has been carefully moulded and cut on the CNC. It is all finished with white oil which brings out the grain in a beautifully subtle way. “If you are creating a piece of art, you shouldn’t be sat on a chair that belongs in an office” was a quote that followed the project from the start. As many potters told me during the research phase, they sit on whatever they can find - from old dining chairs to upside down buckets. This is a chair tailored for them. The design was to be simple yet beautifully crafted and for each element, not to overpower but to work harmoniously together to create a functional, yet elegant item of furniture which fits within a potters creative studio. The design was influenced by Japanese craftsmanship, allowing the humble elements to speak for themselves.