Nicki Darrell – Cantley Pottery
2026 – Taking part in Potfest in the Pens Penrith – Autumn
Based on simple shapes, with mark making inspired by natural forms, Nicki’s large sculptural pieces are built of heavily grogged clay. They are high fired and pierced to allow water to drain away, making them suitable for most outdoor environments. Providing a focal point on patios and in gravel gardens and conservatories, they are often lit from within during the darker winter months. Her rock formation sculptures are planted to scale with hardy alpines and sedum that thrive outdoors all year round. Silver birch pots are inspired by walks through the birch woods near Dunwich Heath in Suffolk.
The other strand to Nicki’s work is based around vapour-firing in a constantly evolving salt kiln. The kiln was built several years ago by a small group of potters, largely from recycled materials. Nicki has co-ordinated and led the group firings from the start. Firing as part of a group has enabled us to share and learn from each other. As the kiln slowly ages and sections of it are repaired and rebuilt, so the results change, and Nicki’s work has changed and developed to accommodate this. Her salt pieces, created using a mixture of clays and construction techniques – including slip-cast, hand-built, thrown and altered work – are designed to maximize the opportunities provided by the different environments in the aging kiln. As a body of work it documents the life and history of the salt kiln.