Alison West Ceramics

Venue

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Venue Facilities

Artist statement

From her studio in Chagford, Dartmoor, Alison West creates thoughtfully produced tableware and vessels. Alison’s ceramics are SAGGARFIRED,  a process in which pots are placed in a gas kiln in a container (a saggar) together with locally sourced combustible materials. Throughout the firing, the combustibles burn away leaving surface decoration . Tableware is Cornish Stoneware and decorated with wild clay slips.

Extended Bio

From her studio in Chagford, Alison West produces tableware and vessels using the unique process of saggar firing to create natural surface patterns. In this technique, prepared pots are first sprayed with wild clays processed into fine slips, reflecting the rich, earthy colors of Dartmoor and Devon. The pots are then placed in a saggar—a protective container—alongside locally sourced combustible materials such as pine cones, beech nuts, grasses, fungi, ferns, seaweed from the Devon coast, wood shavings, and naturally occurring minerals. The saggar is fired in a gas kiln, creating a reduction environment that allows the natural materials to burn away, leaving behind smoky, organic markings on each piece. Tableware pieces combine wild clay slips with coloured glazes layered over them, resulting in rich, subtle surfaces that reflect both the natural palette of Devon and the transformative power of fire. Unlike raku or glazing, the colouring of a saggar-fired pot occurs gradually, from the moment the kiln is lit until the pot has completely cooled, ensuring that every piece is uniquely marked. The result is a stunning interplay of the wild landscape of Devon, the transformative power of fire, and the beauty of hand-crafted ceramics. Alison also has a range of functional tableware.