Home & Gift Blog
In normal circumstances we would be getting ready to show at the Harrogate Trade Fair in July, but, like many events the show has gone virtual so you can still have shop the trends, see the brands and read the Home & Gift Blog - here’s an interview I did with Jordan Evans:
“Meet The Maker: Sue Pryke
With a background firmly rooted in the crafts, Sue Pryke has built a career that has seen her create both as an in-house and freelance designer for some of the industry’s biggest names. Valuing both aesthetic design and functionality equally, her work transcends trends, time periods and price point, making it accessible to all. We spent five minutes with Sue to learn more about her journey as a maker and how she is navigating these difficult times.
Hi Sue, thanks so much for your time! For anyone who may not know, can you please tell us who you are and a bit about your background?
I am a maker and a designer, and I work with ceramics. My background is in the crafts but I’ve always maintained a relationship with industry either working in-house as a designer for tableware manufacturers or retailers and I still work freelance from time to time designing tableware or homeware.
I went to work at Wedgwood as a designer after graduating from a BA course in Ceramics in the early 90’s, so my skill set is a mix of craft and industrial practice. Back then there weren’t any computers and everything was drawn and modelled by hand, I learned a lot from working with the model makers and still draw on those skills when I’m developing new ideas.
I’ve worked as a freelance designer for a real mix of clients from manufacturers, to retailers and airlines over the years and still keep my hand in, but my real passion is in the studio and making tableware. I use the industrial process of slipcasting, but use it in a craft context, making pieces that industry would find more challenging to produce.”