Dreaming Bigger in 2025: My Creative Journey in Handmade Ceramics
Raw Leaf 2023 Turning Earth Christmas Market Table
Each year, I choose a word to guide my ceramics journey—something I learned from mentors like Michelle Lloyd of UnitedArtSpace and Joanna Henly, my creative mentor for the last 3.5 years. These words become an anchor for my practice, helping me focus on what I need most in my creative and personal life. Lead with intention.
2023: Embracing Boldness in Ceramic Design
In 2023, my power word was "bold." It was a year of stepping into new challenges, proving to myself that I could trust my skills and show up authentically in my craft. It was about stepping into growth, being authentic and daring to explore my creative potential. Doing my review for the last 5 years, I realised I had so many break-throughs with my ceramic practice in 2022 - 2023 was about boldly stepping forward with these
Raw Leaf 2024 Turning Earth Christmas Market Table
2024: Staying Open in My Ceramic Artist Journey
In 2024, I chose "open" alongside the intention of "being more of a ceramic artist." This word carried a spirit of continued growth—opening myself to challenges, staying connected to nature-inspired pottery work, and embracing authenticity and vulnerability. It was also about trusting myself and nurturing a growing ceramic business. During this time, I leaned on resources for creative businesses like Joyful Selling for marketing and The Design Trust for support, which helped me stay grounded as I took my first real steps into selling my work.
2025: Dreaming Bigger in Handmade Ceramics
Now, in 2025, my word is "bigger." It feels like the natural next step in my journey—a word that challenges me to stretch my ambitions, raise my craft to new levels, and step boldly into the unknown.
After embracing "bold" in 2023 and "open" in 2024, "bigger" is about growth in every sense: creating larger-scale artistic ceramic pieces, stepping into new opportunities with confidence, and daring to dream big.
One pivotal moment that sparked this vision was the Korean Master Potter Moondobang’s workshop that I attended last October. That experience taught me to embrace boldness not just in my craft, but in my approach to what's possible with ceramic design. This year, "bigger" means taking even larger steps—like planning a solo trip to South Korea for 1 month to deepen my techniques, connect with new traditions, and expand my creative horizons. I have been learning Korean in 2024 and doing my research so I am ready to face this challenge.
What "Bigger" Means for My Ceramic Journey
In my studio practice, "bigger" means exploring larger forms and pushing the boundaries of what I thought possible. It is about learning to further trust the clay, letting it guide me toward bolder expressions while maintaining the intimate, handmade quality that makes each piece unique. The Moondobang pottery workshop showed me that I am capable of creating more ambitious ceramic pieces than I imagined—now it's time to build on that starting point. At the workshop, I tackled my first 3kg clay ball. To mark this new year I threw my first large-scale vase which will be part of my landscape vase collection - a huge milestone for me. That experience showed me what's possible, and now I am eager to explore even more firsts and expand my practice.
Beyond the physical aspects of my work, "bigger" also means:
Taking bigger creative risks with my designs and techniques
Expanding my presence in new markets and spaces
Growing my confidence in showcasing and storytelling my work
Building stronger connections within the ceramics community
Steps Toward Bigger Dreams in Ceramic Art
The creative handmade, crafted journey toward "bigger" isn't just about grand gestures—it's about consistent, intentional steps forward. This includes:
Dedicating time to practice large-scale forms in the studio
Planning my month-long Korea trip to immerse myself in ceramic traditions
Exploring new opportunities for showcasing my work
Building a stronger online presence to share my journey
Confronting my time management fears to transform procrastination into productivity
A Moment to Reflect on My Ceramic Journey
Choosing "bigger" feels both exciting and a little daunting, but it's a reminder to trust myself and lean into the challenges ahead. This year is about growth, learning, and pushing boundaries, with a focus on turning dreams into action.
What's your guiding word for 2025? How will it shape your creative journey in the months ahead? I'd love to hear how you're challenging yourself this year—let's dream big together - Comment below or on my instagram post
Looking Back to Move Forward in Handmade Ceramics
As I embrace the power word*"bigger"* for 2025, I am reflecting on the experiences that shaped me in 2024. The Moondobang pottery workshop challenged me to explore large-scale ceramics, while my experiments with the Saggar Raku firing techniques at Di Luca Ceramics and independent Naked Raku firing supported by Nam from Cernamic—each contributed to my growth as a ceramic artist. These experiences form the foundation I am building upon this year, and I will be sharing more about my nature-inspired work and design growth in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to see how they continue to inspire my handmade ceramics journey.