Information

I grew up in a family where it was natural to draw, design lettering and make all kinds of things - oak carvings, clothes, book jackets, toys, paintings, fruit wine, stone inscriptions, Christmas decorations, silver and gold work, lead castings, mosaics.

It is the process of making which I enjoy, from the first idea, to how to achieve the completed object. I tend to work on pieces in an evolving series, as if I was just making one piece, trying to get it right, more defined or made in a neater way. I like throwing and don't mind the repetition, as there is always room for improvement and change.

I make functional work and always hope it gets used. The weight distribution and balance are important to me as well as the surface's feel and colour. I like a dark looking piece to surprise by being light in weight or a bowl to have its weight unexpectedly in the rim rather than the base and make the user want to pick it up.

I was always fascinated by letters and lettering from when I was young (even though I didn't much like reading then!) and there was a lot of work with lettering going on around us at home, as my father, Berthold Wolpe - typographer, was Faber & Faber’s chief designer for almost 40 years and my mother Margaret Wolpe - sculptor and silversmith, also cut letters and designed book jackets too, and taught me to draw and how to look at things.

The type face I use on some of my stamped bowls is Albertus, I also sometimes use Hyperion and both of these, amongst other typefaces, were designed by Berthold Wolpe, who taught me lettering techniques and design.