I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a ceramicist. In fact, if you’d told me a few years ago that I’d end up spending my days covered in clay, making colourful pots in a studio in Hampshire, I’d probably have laughed.

But I’m Rachel, the person behind RJ Ceramics. I make functional ceramics from both earthenware and stoneware with a particular obsession for making things that are a little bit different.

I use a combination of techniques to produce my work. Some pieces are thrown and turned on the wheel, while my Torn Edge and Simply Lines collections are completely formed by hand. I start with a lump of clay and through a lot of hitting, patting and moulding I turn it into something that is entirely its own.

I’m thoroughly obsessed with colour, pattern and form and I’m always looking for ways to do things a little differently. I’ve never been particularly interested in making things that simply blend in and that has become a pretty important part of why I make what I make.

Over the years, ceramics has become about much more than making pots for me. It gave me the space to figure out who I was, to stop worrying quite so much about what I was supposed to be and to discover that there is a lot to be said for doing things your own way and JUST BEING YOU.

That’s at the heart of RJ Ceramics. I make colourful, functional ceramics for people who don’t necessarily want to blend in either. Pieces that bring colour, personality and a little bit of rebellion into everyday life and hopefully make you feel just a little more comfortable being completely yourself.

My Studio is at Hillside Farm, Middlecot, Quarley, Andover SP118PS.