Colour and Ceramics

Deana Bada Maloney: Nature-focused ceramic multimedia sculptor 03.09.2026 40min

On today's show, Bob Acton @bobacton, interviews Deana Bada Maloney, an Illinois-based ceramic artist and wildlife sculptor whose work brings together hand-built clay, animal anatomy, drawing, expressive surface, and mixed media.With a background in drawing, painting, anatomy, and scientific illustration, Deana has developed a highly observational approach to ceramic sculpture. She often thinks about working in clay as a form of three-dimensional drawing, using gesture, texture, and carefully observed anatomy to build animals that feel both physically convincing and full of character.Teaching has also become an important part of Deana’s practice. Through workshops and mentoring, she shares her approach to sculpting animals, studying anatomy, developing form, and using clay as a way of seeing more closely.Surface is another distinctive part of Deana’s work and teaching. She uses oxides to emphasize the marks made during sculpting and also works with inks on fired ceramic surfaces, allowing drawing and mark-making to continue after the firing process. Her workshops on inking ceramics explore how these materials can add depth, contrast, and character without completely covering the clay beneath.In this episode of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, we talk about ceramic animal sculpture, drawing in three dimensions, studying anatomy, hand-building techniques, working with ink on ceramics, developing expressive surfaces, and what Deana has learned through teaching and mentoring other ceramic artists.If you are interested in ceramic sculpture, wildlife art, hand-building, clay workshops, animal anatomy, ceramic surface techniques, or using drawing as part of your ceramic practice, I think you’ll enjoy this conversation.

Drew Caines: An English sculptor exploring the ancients. 18.08.2026 34min

My guest today is Drew Caines, a ceramic artist based in Leeds in the north of England who has been working with clay for almost 30 years.Drew creates richly textured, often sculptural work that brings together influences from very different points in human history. He draws inspiration from ancient Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic art, folklore and ethnography, while also pulling in contemporary influences such as street art and Pop art.There is a wonderful sense of something both ancient and strangely familiar in Drew's work. Pattern, texture and intricate detail are central to his making, but beneath the surface is a deeper interest in memory, emotion and our connection to the people who made things thousands of years before us.You can find his work here: https://www.instagram.com/drewcainesceramics/

Susie Kathol: A Canadian biologist and potter living in the Rocky Mountains. 31.07.2026 22min

In this episode of Colour & Ceramics, Bob Acton @bobacton speaks with Susie Kathol, a ceramic artist, wildlife biologist, and botanist based in Revelstoke, BC.Susie brings her scientific knowledge and deep connection to the natural world into her ceramic practice, using sgraffito to carve images of plants and wildlife into the surfaces of her work.We talk about the relationship between science and art, learning ceramics within a supportive studio community, and how close observation of the natural world can find its way into clay.A lovely conversation about curiosity, nature, and developing an artistic practice alongside a life in science.Susie's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/susiekatholceramics/Susie's Website: https://susiekatholceramics.ca/

Surface Stories Collective: A Toronto Arts Councill-funded Project 17.07.2026 33min

SPECIAL EDITION: In this episode of the Colour & Ceramics Podcast, we explore the Surface Stories Collective, https://surfacestoriescollective.lovable.app/, a Toronto-based initiative bringing non-ceramic artists from equity-deserving communities into the world of ceramic surface design.Through workshops, studio sessions, and a culminating exhibition at Gallery 1065 from July 24 to August 2, participants are expanding their creative practices, experimenting with clay, and building new connections across Toronto’s arts communities.It is an inspiring conversation with Natalie Waddell https://claygirl.ca and Christina Leslie https://www.christinaleslie.com/ about access, collaboration, and the possibilities that emerge when artists step into unfamiliar creative territory.Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.#ColourAndCeramics #SurfaceStoriesCollective #CeramicArt #TorontoArts #ContemporaryCraft

Paul Smith: British Sculptor 15.07.2026 47min

My guest today is British ceramic sculptor Paul Smith, who has worked full-time from his studio in North Derbyshire since 1998. Paul is known for his bold, semi-abstract animal sculptures, combining simplified forms with expressive, richly layered surfaces.Inspired by ancient sculpture and pottery, Inuit and folk art, and his lifelong fascination with the natural world, Paul is especially drawn to horses, cattle, wolves, bears, and big cats. His recent work uses layers of slips, engobes, oxides, and underglazes to create sculptures that feel like treasured objects, marked by age and history.Alongside his studio practice, Paul now teaches his distinctive hand-building methods through masterclasses in the UK and internationally.You can find him here on his website: https://paulsmithsculptures.co.uk/ and on his Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/paulsmithsculptures/

Mary Fox: A Canadian Potter who loves teaching 03.07.2026 41min

This week we're joined by Mary Fox, a self-taught BC potter who turned a lifetime of "learning at the school of hard knocks" into an acclaimed artistic career. Mary shares her journey from functional pottery to exploratory art, her approach to surface design and colour, and why she created the Legacy Project Apprentice Program — a rare two-year apprenticeship helping young Canadian potters become studio professionals. 🎧 Listen now!See her work and all about her apprentice program https://maryfoxpottery.ca/

Kristine Zingelar: A Canadian interdisciplinary artist. 13.05.2026 34min

In this episode, Bob Acton joined by interdisciplinary artist Kristine Zingeler.Kristine works across photography, collage, drawing, painting, and sculpture, creating subtle but powerful work that explores interconnectedness, time, and the constant state of change in both humanity and the natural world.Her practice begins with close observation and collecting, giving new significance to rocks, feathers, nests, insects, plants, and other overlooked fragments of the everyday. Her recent work moves beautifully between image and object, ancient and immediate, tiny and monumental.Listen in for a thoughtful conversation about attention, process, material, and the quiet power of noticing.You can find her work on her website at: https://www.kristine-zingeler.com/ and on her Instagram page at: https://www.instagram.com/kristinezingeler/

Sarah Pike: A Canadian potter making exquisite slab-built, functional ware. 07.04.2026 42min

This week on Colour and Ceramics, Bob Acton is joined by Sarah Pike, one of Canada’s top ceramic artists. Sarah is a full-time potter based in Fernie, British Columbia, where she makes functional slab-built pottery from her home studio. Her work carries a wonderful sense of movement and personality, shaped by the mountain landscape around her and inspired by antique tinware, textured metal, and old handmade objects. Sarah studied ceramics at ACAD in Calgary, and also studied at the University of Colorado and the University of Minnesota. It was a real pleasure to talk with her about clay, making, and the ideas that continue to shape her distinctive body of work.Find her website and Instagram page here: https://www.sarahpikepottery.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sarahpikepottery/

Teresa Wyss: A Canadian small-batch functional potter in Alberta. 19.03.2026 40min

In this episode of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics I @bobacton speak with Calgary potter Teresa Wyss @teresawysspottery about her striking functional ceramics, made with porcelain stoneware and decorated using hand-carved sgraffito. Inspired by wildlife, landscape, and the vivid colours of nature, her work has a bold, graphic presence that really stands out.We also talked about something many artists wrestle with: the business side of art making. From delegation to managing time and energy, Teresa shared thoughtful insights into what it takes to sustain a creative practice beyond the studio bench.See her work on her website at https://twpottery.ca and her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/teresawysspottery/

Robbin Harris: A Canadian Crystalline Ceramic Artist 27.02.2026 39min

Today on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, host Bob Acton shares his interview with Robbin Harris. Robbin Harris is a crystalline ceramic artist based in Calgary, Alberta, whose creative path reflects both resilience and reinvention. A former jazz musician, Robbin turned to clay after a life-changing accident ended his drumming career, discovering ceramics in 2017 under the mentorship of Dave Settles at Fairview Studios.His artistic direction shifted again in 2020 when he encountered crystalline glazes, a discovery that opened a deep exploration into their unpredictable beauty and technical complexity. Through a practice rooted in experimentation, Robbin creates work that balances cosmic imagery with organic decay, revealing the delicate tension between creation and destruction. Each firing becomes an act of discovery, inviting viewers into a conversation about fragility, transformation, and the unexpected beauty that emerges when control meets chance.You can find Robin here on his website https://robbinharrisceramics.com/ or on his Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/robbin.harris.ceramics/

Heidi McKenzie: A Canadian Ceramic Sculptor who explores ancestry, migration, race and belonging. 04.02.2026 40min

This week Bob Acton @bobacton joined by ceramic and installation artist Heidi McKenzie, whose work uses clay and image as archive—exploring ancestry, migration, race, and belonging through powerful abstract portraiture.From Reclaimed: Indo-Caribbean HerStories to the Indian Ceramics Triennale in Delhi, Heidi’s work reminds us that ceramics can hold memory, heal, and tell the stories history forgets.Check out her work at https://www.heidimckenzie.ca/

Gillian Boon: A Canadian Potter & Prairie Mermaid 15.01.2026 35min

I’m thrilled to welcome Gillian Boon to the podcast, an Alberta-based ceramic artist whose work carries the pulse of the ocean, even from the heart of the prairies.Inspired by coral reefs, tide pools, and the intense blues and greens of Grassi Lakes, Gillian’s ceramics explore movement, surface, and a deep sense of place. We talk about making ocean-driven work far from the sea, the role of teaching and community in a studio life, and how landscape leaves its mark on clay.🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.#ColourAndCeramics #CanadianCeramics #CeramicArtists #OceanInspired #SurfaceAsNarrative #CalgaryArtistsYou can find her work at https://www.gillianmitchellceramics.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/gmitchellceramics/

Maricelle Olivier: The Bushland Remembered: Landscape as Surface in Ceramics 30.12.2025 38min

This week I’m @bobacton joined on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics by Australian ceramic artist Maricelle Olivier, whose work is deeply shaped by memory, landscape, and line.Drawing inspiration from South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a place tied to generations of family history, Maricelle meticulously draws and etches every line into her ceramic surfaces. The result is a layered, rhythmic abstraction of landscape and emotion, brought to life through colour.We talk about: • drawing as a way of remembering • surface as emotional terrain • translating childhood landscapes into contemporary ceramic language🎙️ Now live on the Colour & Ceramics Podcast 🔗 Website Link: https://maricelleolivier.com/🔗 Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/molivier_ceramics/

Shae Bishop: Ceramics, Textiles, and Curiosity-Driven Making 16.12.2025 52min

Ceramic artist Shae Bishop joins me @bobacton on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics this week for a rich conversation about material, curiosity, and community.Shae’s practice moves between ceramics, textiles, and the body, shaped by residencies at places like the Archie Bray Foundation and Kohler Arts/Industry, and by years embedded in craft communities from North Carolina to Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and beyond.🎙️ Now live on the Colour & Ceramics Podcast🔗 Website Link https://www.shaebishop.com/🔗 Instagram Link https://www.instagram.com/shae_bishop/

Reverend Jane Sheppard: A UK based ceramic artist 27.11.2025 46min

Meet Jane Sheppard, a UK-based ceramic artist whose hand-built, smoke-fired vessels echo ancient artefacts and the sacred threads of human experience. Her award-winning work blends ritual, memory, and earth-rooted simplicity—inviting us to pause, feel, and reconnect.You can find Jane via her website here: https://www.janesheppard.me/ and her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/rev_jane_sheppard/

Susan Trimble: An Australian Ceramic Artist 13.11.2025 49min

Today, Bob Acton introduces us to South African–born ceramic artist Susan Trimble who creates joyful, nature-inspired work from her Brisbane studio. After a long career in graphic design, she discovered clay in 2020 and quickly developed a distinctive practice shaped by painting, mark-making, and mentorship under artist Jane du Rand. A 2024 solo exhibitor and finalist in the North Queensland Ceramic Awards,You can find her work at https://www.susantrimbleart.com.au/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/susantrimble.artist/

Nichole Windblad - Head of Calgary Art Market 04.11.2025 58min

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Nicole Windblad, the creative force behind the Calgary Art Market.Nicole isn’t just curating a show; she’s shaping opportunities. As someone who runs one of the most respected art markets in Alberta, she understands what makes artists stand out, what helps them succeed, and yes—what can hold them back. She, and her family, have many years of experience operating this show so she has great wisdom for artists and makers of all sorts.In this conversation, you’ll hear what Nicole looks for when selecting artists, how she evaluates applications, and the do’s and don’ts every artist should know when they’re trying to secure a spot in a major show.

Clay Meets Fashion: Emily Holmes from Los Angeles 28.10.2025 33min

Today, Bob and Zana interview ceramic artist and designer Emily Holmes on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, who joins us from Los Angeles to talk about her practice of transforming familiar, textile-like forms into ceramic keepsakes. Emily’s background in Art Therapy at the Art Institute of Chicago shaped her early relationship with clay as a tool for healing, and later led her to open her studio full-time after relocating to LA.You can find out more about Emily at https://www.emilyholmesceramics.com/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/emilyholmesceramics/And more about Bob at bobactonceramics.com and Zana at https://www.instagram.com/zanaoheart/

Peter Beard: A UK-based ceramic sculptor 10.10.2025 54min

Today's podcast introduces Peter Beard. Peter first discovered clay as a kid, and that early fascination never really left him. While studying industrial and furniture design at Ravensbourne College of Art in London, he found himself spending more and more time in the ceramics department. After graduating, he helped set up a pottery in Scotland making domestic stoneware, and not long after, opened his own studio in Kent where sculpture became his main focus.These days, Peter works from his studio in Leamington Spa, creating stoneware pieces that are both thrown and hand-built. He fires in oxidation to around 1280°C, building up layers of coloured clays and matte glazes, using wax resist and surface grinding to reveal these intricate, textured patterns underneath.He’s also worked in bronze and stone, and has been exhibiting his work since the mid-70s, both in Britain and internationally. What I love most about Peter’s approach is how design precision meets quiet emotion. Each piece feels carefully considered but deeply human.You can find his work on his website at https://peterbeard.co.uk/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/peterbeardceramics/

Miae Kim: Korean born, London-based ceramic artist 16.09.2025 42min

I’m excited to welcome Miae Kim—a London-based ceramic artist originally from South Korea. After a career in animation and VFX in L.A., she fell in love with clay at Glendale College and never looked back. Miae is known for two threads: sculptural pieces inspired by whales—symbols of wisdom and endurance—and work that blends Korean motifs and Hangul with Western aesthetics. She’s a 2024 London Potters award winner and a selected member of the Craft Potters Association. You can find her work on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/miae_kim_ceramics/ and on her website here: https://www.miaekimceramics.com/

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