The Cloud Pottery: Juliet Macleod

Nestled just outside Aberdeen, is the magical Cloud Pottery - home to the artist potter that is Juliet Macleod. I went to visit her today, principally to talk about her use of surface decoration and perhaps advice to a young potter on how to enter this world.

I think to understand Juliet’s work, it’s important to see the landscape that inspires her: the coast. Beyond the physical elements of the land meeting the sea, Macleod’s work engages with the everchanging elements in these coastal locations as well as the materials found at these places.

In her garden studio, there are tools made of driftwood bound with all kinds of materials dangling over the window: sheep’s wool, corrugated plastic, and frayed rope. Everything is found on the beach. Then, using these tools in conjunction with coloured slip and scraffito techniques, Juliet builds her landscapes.

One of the first things to strike me with her pots is the touch, which I would even go so far as to extend as the sound. Juliet works with porcelain, often leaving the outside decorated yet unglazed, whilst inside the slip is brought to life with a transparent glaze. The merit of porcelain in this situation is that the slip decoration on the exterior of the pot somewhat fuses into the surface, leaving less of a ridge or form sitting on top. It almost melts in and makes the most beautiful chime on touch (which is also thanks to Juliet’s polishing). The contrast between the matte outside and the shiny interior secretly echoes the contrast between sand and sea.

But Macleod’s ceramics has influences beyond the beach. Previously, Juliet worked in the city as a graphic designer for 30 years - even being the director of her own company. It was incredible hearing about her design education and experience informing her practice even today. Particularly, the use of brightly coloured foot rings (as depicted above). Using colours inspired by the lichen found by the sea, Macloed actively uses bright colours on the base of the pot to give a sort of halo, a glow, made by the reflection from the surface below. It’s a clever effect, and really brings a sense of weightlessness to the work.

We spoke for a long time, exploring where ceramics sit in the art/craft tug of war, the role of social media to the studio potter and the power of ceramic markets (of which Macleod is exhibiting at York Ceramics Festival this weekend). I felt a real sense of connection to her as a fellow artist-turned-potter, and a deep desire for our pots to be used on the dinner table rather than on a mantle piece (but we wouldn’t complain…). I also felt overwhelmed. It was nothing that Juliet was doing, but rather my own internal ARGHH imposter syndrome voice beginning to rage. I think we all have it, even when you are ‘succeeding’. Look at Juliet, with almost 60k Instagram followers, a 15000 people mailing list and winning awards at ceramic shows - it is still there whispering.

I came away from seeing Juliet with a smile stretched from ear to ear. Not only from a busy studio potter making the time to see me and share their story but for invaluable advice and tips for how to navigate this world. The overarching message for me was to be true to yourself and your work, and trust that if you keep chipping away in this direction, you will get where you need to go.