Mark Dally Ceramics
2026 – Taking part in Potfest by the Lake – Compton Verney, Potfest South West and Potfest in the Park – Hutton-in-the-Forest
Working from my Staffordshire studio, I handbuild, cast and wheel form, my Black & White Ware in high-fired white earthenware. My tableware includes teapots, mugs, jugs, platters and bowls in a variety of sizes. I decorate by sliptrailing and brushing black and white slips onto paper resist cutouts, layered with slipped dots, drips and linework. Finally, I apply platinum and gold lustre in a third firing, to handles and knobs.
I also construct slab built non functional and humorous ceramic sculptures, in addition to using slipcast shapes. I make my moulds from hand modelled forms, children’s plastic toys, industrial Victoriana, DIY offcuts and domestic throwaways. I handbuild each one-off, decorate with slip trailing and applying stained slips on paper resist, finally adding lustres of platinum and gold.
After training in textiles, at Staffordshire University, and progressing onto the MA in ceramics, I set up my studio in 1989. Since then I have applied my love of surface pattern to ceramics.
Inspiration comes from 17th Century Staffordshire slip trailing, mid-century Stoke-on-Trent industrial ceramics such as ‘Homemaker’ by Ridgway and Carlton Ware ‘Walking Ware’, and the sci-fi anachronisms of 1940s, 50s and 60s animations and comics. I like to combine traditional craft and contemporary techniques in a modern take on Staffordshire slipware and flatbacks.
Currently, I am experimenting with using paper stencil shapes, derived from digital manipulation with Adobe Photoshop. Sources of influence, come from the beautiful patterns of the natural world and the stunning shapes of everyday objects observed under the electron microscope. 1950’s illustrated biology books of cell structure, and atomic particle diagrams, also spark my visual interest and imagination.
My work is held in public and private collections internationally.