Zoë Slater is a ceramicist working in Glasgow. 

Her work wanders between functional and the sculptural, drawing inspiration from nature and natural materials. Her range of wheel thrown tableware features a natural and muted colour palette, utilising texture through slip brush strokes and scoring. She is committed to sustainability in the production of her ceramics, and uses homemade ash glazes collected from wood fires as well as firing to lower stoneware temperature in an electric kiln.

Zoë has been making and teaching pottery for the past five years. She learnt her trade as a visiting apprentice at Shin Chul's studio in Icheon, South Korea. During this time she learnt traditional Korean throwing techniques, which she now teaches at her shop in Glasgow. In recent years, her practice has  focused upon throwing larger forms. These large vases are thrown in three segments, then put together once they are just softer than leather hard. If you wish to inquire about booking a workshop, please use the contact page.

As part of her commitment to sustainable practice, Zoë has researched traditional pit firing techniques. Through using natural materials such as seaweed, manure, fruit skins, plants and coffee, the surfaces of the vessels are marked by smoke lashings. The markings on each vessel are serendipitous and unique, often unexpected.  Zoë is currently cataloguing the effects of different varieties of seaweed upon the outcome of smoke firing, with the aim of producing a monograph in photography in 2024.

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