Interview with Ceramicist Pip Hartle

‘The studio feels different to my house, I feel more connected to being outside, which I love!’

In 2016 we were contacted by Pip Hartle, a brilliant potter based in East London. Pip wanted to build a pottery studio for her new home, a space which was both functional, aesthetically pleasing and conveniently situated at the end of her garden.

If you don’t know Pip’s work, you should take a look, Pip creates textile pattern inspired stoneware ceramics, her work is both functional and beautifully unique. Pip’s stockists include the Tate shop and Toast. Late last year we chatted with Pip to find out a little more about her pottery process and to see how she’s getting along with her Trew Turner studio.

How did you hear about Trew Turner?

I was a member of a shared studio space, The Kiln Rooms, in Peckham and friend and fellow member Harriet mentioned she had a friend (Liam) who built garden studios so she put me in touch. 

How long have you had your garden studio? 

It has been four years now. 

Did you design your studio? Did you have something particular in mind? 

I collected a range of images of other studios I liked.  Together with the dimensions of the garden and what I could achieve without planning permission I sent over my ideas to Liam.  I loved the tall Fishermans huts in Hastings, I knew I couldn't get that height but I used them as inspiration for the materials and finish.  I bought the doors on eBay and we then worked around them.

What impact has having a garden studio had on your business and your working life?

It has definitely given me the space and time to evolve as a potter.   I had outgrown the shared studio and was fed up with the commute.  I feel very fortunate to be able to make every day in my own space.  The luxury of being in the garden is a big aspect too.  The studio feels different to my house and I feel more connected to being outside, which I love.  

For anyone considering a garden studio, what are the key things for people to look out for?   

Find someone you can work well with to help you build it.  I found Liam to be so helpful and patient when it came to making decisions and he had a wealth of knowledge when it came to materials etc.  It's hard to know how a space will work before it exists but try and figure some of that stuff out.  

How have you found your work life balance since moving your business into your garden studio? 

The line between life and work is definitely blurred.  I rarely give myself a proper day off and even when I do I still go into the studio and do some tinkering of some description.  But I also do not work regular hours so I feel it all balances out in the end.    I am lucky that I absolutely love what I do and so work and life are the same thing for me.  

Your ceramics are beautiful, we love the mark making and flow of your brush strokes. What are your main influences?

I actually studied Textiles at university so I have a deep fascination with textile patterns from around the world.  Working with something dug from the ground, you can't help but be inspired by natural materials and landscapes.  An exquisite pebble, a birds egg, a clump of moss - these are my favourite things.

What's your making process?

I tend to design as I go, new ideas emerge over time.  If I am throwing a number of the same thing I try and throw a few different shape at the end of the day.  Or I might have seen a shape of a pot in a museum or in a book that I'd like to try.  I work with a pretty limited pallet so I am always trying to push what I can achieve within those limits.  There is a lot of trial and error.   I mostly make functional work, but every now and then I will hand build for fun and explore new techniques.   

For anyone looking to start pottery, where would you advise they start?

There are so many places offering taster sessions or beginners courses.  I went to Morley College, and the facilities and teaching were excellent.  Initially I'd say just find out if you enjoy the process and material.   Often beginners focus on an end product or get frustrated they can't throw on the wheel after 1 session.  Pottery is a very slow process that takes a long time to master.  

What's a day in your studio like?   

I almost always walk down to the studio as soon as I get up so I can figure out how my day is going to take shape.  If the kiln has been on overnight and is ready to be opened I have to look as soon as I can.  That excitement I don't think will ever fade.  If its cold I get a fire going so it will be toasty when I get back from walking the dog.  There are so many different aspects to making pottery, the actual making of the pots is a tiny part of the whole process really.   Spending a lot of time on my own I also have to really curate what I listen to, so its a combination of radio, audio books, podcasts and music.   Pottery is a very physical job and involves a lot of cleaning! 

Thanks for your time Pip!

Check out pip’s beautiful pottery over at www.piphartle.com and follow her on instagram @piphartle.

Have a Jackdaw installed this spring!

We have an abnormal but quite exciting gap in our diary to make one of our Jackdaw studios! If you are London bound and are interested please get in touch. Alternatively we also have space later down the line for bigger projects. We always love to hear your ideas, we cover London and the South West!

5 Uses of a Garden Studio

Garden studios are very trendy, and really versatile. Over recent years, their popularity has increased massively, and they are now becoming common place additions to back gardens up and down the country. As garden studios can be custom built to the needs of the individual, their uses are varied, and flexible. What is more, as garden studios are affordable, they offer excellent expansion opportunities for home owners looking to increase their living space. Garden studios, when well built, provide unrivalled places to play, work, or even entertain. Here are 5 of the top uses for a garden studio: 

Home office

With more and more people than ever before wanting to work from home in order to enable them to cut time spent commuting, and increase the time they have for leisure activities, and family, garden studios are becoming a very popular home office solution. Of course, home offices have been around for many years, but now garden studios have arrived, no longer does one of the rooms in the house need to be sacrificed, instead a dedicated space can be built. What is more, using a garden studio as a home office enables people to have separate work and home locations which can help boost productivity and reduce stress. 

Entertaining area

Garden studios can be built for almost any purpose. If you enjoy having friends over and you entertain on a regular basis then a garden studio with a bar area could be the answer for you. Just imagine the possibilities of having a garden studio with a bar! On warm summer evenings you could open up your garden studio and serve drinks from the bar; whilst in the winter you could close the doors, and put on a movie for you and your friends to enjoy with cocktails. Garden studios offer the ultimate option for entertainment flexibility and glamour. 

Home gym

Many people want to get on the health and fitness bandwagon, but struggle to find the time to get to the gym, or do any exercise in general. By getting a purpose built garden studio for a home gym it could be the answer to your health and fitness woes. Using a garden studio for a gym overcomes the issues of usual home gyms such as headroom and noise because the studio is located away from the house, and they can be built to accommodate your fitness equipment. You won’t be able to come up with any excuses about not exercising when you have your own home gym at the bottom of the garden! 

Relaxation room

It is always nice to have a place to go to when you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A garden studio could offer you with a cosy option to relax, enabling you to retreat to your own purpose built area. Garden studios are not only likely quieter than any room in your current home due to their location, and level of insulation, but they can also be designed in almost any way you like, so can suit any taste, and garden size. 

Playroom

Like many home offices typically tend to do, children’s playrooms can take over a room, or two in a family home. This is particularly restrictive if your home is small, or if you have a number of children! In order to control children’s toys, of course there are a number of storage solutions out there, but why not consider building a dedicated garden studio that you could use as a purpose built children’s play room. By getting a purpose built garden studio, you could create a completely safe, child friendly building, that would give you back space in your house. In the summer, it would also be great to open up the garden studio to enable your children to play both inside and outside. 

5 Benefits of a Garden Office

Working from home is on the increase. In fact, in the UK, the number of people who work from home has risen by almost 30% in the last 10 years. As a result of this, a lot of people want to create their own professional working environments.

Many have been forced to sacrifice a space within their home for their working area, but that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, the best way to maintain a healthy work-life balance is by keeping your professional and personal lives separate, and therefore working from inside your home is unlikely to help.

As a result, you should consider getting a garden office! Garden offices, such as those that are custom built and designed by Trew Turner, offer a cost effective way to create a bespoke, peaceful working space that retains all the comforts of your home without actually being inside it.

Garden offices provide a distinction between home and work life, and therefore allow you to get a better balance.
 
If you aren’t yet convinced that you should get a garden office, here are 5 more great benefits of adding a garden office to your home: 

1. No planning permission needed

In most areas of London you do not need to apply for planning permission when you build a garden office. This makes it an ideal way to increase your living space affordably, whilst also giving you the distinction between home and work life.  

2. Custom design & build

Garden offices can be built exactly how you want them to be. If you are looking to have running water, heated flooring or special light fittings, then they are all achievable with Trew Turner's custom built service. Click here to view the full case study below.

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In fact, the Trew Turner team will work with you to create a garden office that meets your exacting requirements. Trew Turner garden offices are not wooden sheds, but rather they are custom designed, garden buildings complete with insulation, electrical sockets and lights- making them the ideal work area. 

3. Financial gain

Garden offices are not only a great place to work, but they can also be a great investment. Research shows that garden offices can increase a property’s value by up to 7%. What is more, many people who work from home have to convert one of their rooms to an office, but by building a garden office in the garden, you can give that space back to your house!

Finally, having a garden office as opposed to a rented office away from home is that you have no rent to pay, but you are still able to leave the house to go to work. 

4. Peaceful environment

Working in the garden is undoubtedly a much better setting than working in a grey office cubicle. Just imagine being able to look out onto your colourful garden whilst you sit at your desk! With improved scenery, and a sense of peace you will fell calmer, and there is even research to suggest that this can increase productivity.

Not only that, the environment in which you work is a huge factor that affects your health, so by working in a place that is stress-free and relaxing, you can work happily knowing that you aren’t making yourself ill. 

5. Professionalism

When working at the dining room table or on the sofa, it can be hard to stay motivated or on task. Working in a garden office, can really help you to feel much more professional, and this can in turn increase motivation and productivity. What is more, by working in a garden office you are far more likely to refrain from temptation, or get distracted. In your own office, you are geared to work, and not play. By separating your home and work environments, you will be once more able to go home to your safe haven where you can relax and unwind. 

To conclude, if you want to work harder, become more productive, feel healthier and increase the value of your home then you should consider adding a Trew Turner custom designed and built garden office to your home.