Manchester craft fair & potfest 2025
Over the weekend on the 18th & 19th of October, I crammed in two ceramic events!
The first being The Great Northern Contemporary Crafts Fair in Manchester. This event is held at Victoria Baths and the unique vintage swimming pool setting added a great atmosphere to the event. There was a huge selection of creatives displaying work here, all from different disciplines and backgrounds. Some artists has been working in their field for a lifetime, as others were just starting out. It was great to talk to a variety of different people and ask about their work!
Some of my favourites-
Goonearl Ceramics- Using a back-garden Raku firing set up in a pit! Attaching seaweed, wire & cloth soaked in oxide around his vessels before firing. After, they leave captivating marks, all unique to each pot.
A&M Potters- He created slab built creatures & animals, but in an abstract form. Not my typical taste, but after speaking to him, the creatures all really held a personality of their own and I think it shows how versatile ceramics can be!
Freya Boothroyd- A recent graduate, creating organic, unfired wild clay vessels inspired by the peak district. I loved her raw & tactile approach to clay & it offered something different to the selection of work on show.
The day after, I wandered up to Potfest 2025 in Penrith on the train. This event in purely ceramics, so it was really exciting to see & meet so many potters in one place! It was held in a farm auction barn, which again, added an interesting atmosphere to the show.
Some of my favourites-
Katherine Taylor Ceramics- Her work is inspired by docking harbours, boats and Cornwall. Her playful & sketchy approach to surface design is captivating and I loved the use of colour & texture in her pieces.
Qi Fang Colbart Arts- With a PHD in Fine Art, it was amazing seeing her work come to life through ceramics. Her detailed free-hand drawings, all with a story to tell, demonstrate her skill and ambition.
Graduate exhibitions in ‘changing rooms’ at Victoria Baths in Manchester
Artist stalls inside the swimming pools at Victoria Baths in Manchester
Katherine Taylor’s ceramic stand at Potfest 2025