The Pottery Studio offers participants the chance to explore clay, experiment with techniques, and enjoy the process of making.

Pottery has a long tradition at Watts Gallery. In 1904, founder Mary Watts established the Potters' Arts Guild, a progressive enterprise that employed local craftspeople and taught them to create terracotta art, from ceramics and jewellery to garden ware.

Her vision continues to inspire today, and the Pottery Programme honours her legacy, offering a unique opportunity to engage with the art of making and to continue Mary Watts's mission of creativity for all.

Meet our Resident Potter

With a background in architecture, Bahareh Khomeiry’s journey in ceramics began out of fascination with the rich history of traditional tile-making in her home country, Iran. Her curiosity about how these tiles were made led her to pursue another BA in Ceramics, and since 2017, she has been a dedicated potter and tile artist.

Now based in the UK, Bahareh furthered her artistic ceramics practice by completing an MA in Ceramics at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA). Her work blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary techniques, offering a diverse approach to creating ceramics.

Bahareh explores the act of constructing and assembling elements, seeking balance in the process. Inspired by the way Persian domes are built—layer by layer, with each brick playing a vital role—she applies this method to ceramics. By combining hand-building and throwing techniques, she creates forms that are both structured and fluid.

Her recent series, Hair as Freedom: Cut Plaits, is a tribute to the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement that emerged in Iran in 2022. Witnessing the courage of Iranian women who removed their headscarves and cut their hair (plaits) in defiance of oppression deeply impacted her. This series captures their journey, from entrapment to liberation, and ultimately to unity. Cut Plaits represents these brave women fighting for their rights.