William Papworth

Will Papworth is a ceramicist, painter and photographer working in East Sussex.

He studied Fine Art at Kingston School of Art. In his final year he sat for the first time at a potter’s wheel and has been passionate about ceramics ever since.

From there he built a simple ceramics studio in his back garden, where these pieces are made.

Will throws most of his tableware collection on a potter’s wheel, creating one-off and repeated forms that reflect his appreciation of simple, ergonomic design.
Features like comfort and practicality are of fundamental importance; the way a mug feels in the hand is as important as how it looks.

The glazes he uses share a natural, subdued palette, he has a particular interest in ash-based glazes.
The subtle alchemy and huge diversity of organic ashes present endless possibilities, he is currently exploring this in a series which embody beautiful, unique and intriguing patinas.