Visiting Sally at West Lodge Pottery, Suffolk

We recently visited our friend Sally of West Lodge Pottery.  She has been a potter with her husband Tony since they left art college, since then they have raised a family.  Today there are seven grandchildren and West Lodge Pottery is still going strong.  Sadly Tony died last year but Sally is still working and making the most beautiful things.  I couldn’t resist one of her jugs but amongst other things she makes bowls and mugs, plates and house plaques.  Her range of clay characters and models are really striking and  nursery rhymes are a recurrent theme in her decoration.  Next time I visit I’ll take more photos as her work is so lovely but here’s a picture of the jug I bought.  Surface decoration and the small models had always been Sally’s area but now after quite a break she’s having to get back into the swing of throwing pots herself.

As someone who works with her husband I can only imagine the enormity of losing your husband and continuing to run your business single handedly.  Sally recently moved studios to the Thornham Estate in Suffolk fairly near Bury St Edmunds and her new studio is looking beautiful.  You can visit the studio, watch Sally making her beautiful creations and even buy some of her work.

http://www.westlodgepottery.co.uk/welcome.htm

I had never heard of the Thornham estate but it’s a great place for a day out.  There are walks through old woodlands filled with crazy wooden sculptures, a playground, a café, a restaurant, other studios and I’m sure all sorts of other things I’ve missed out.     So if you’re looking for something to do in North West Suffolk or are a pottery aficionado pop in and say hello to Sally.

http://www.thornhamestate.com/