DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM
Handmade Ceramics & Raku Workshops
Inspired by nature and shaped by hand, each ceramic piece reflects the raw beauty of earth and fire, offering you not only a unique work of art to own, but also the opportunity to experience the creative process yourself through immersive Raku workshops.
DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM
The Artist Behind
Abi Higgins is a ceramicist working from her studio on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. Best known for her distinctive Raku-fired vessels and Moon Jars, she creates elegant, wheel-thrown forms whose simplicity provides a canvas for the spontaneous effects of fire, smoke and reduction.
Abi began making pottery around twenty-five years ago attending a weekly pottery class which developed into formal ceramics study, leading to an apprenticeship with Devon potter Penny Simpson, and a continuing process of learning through workshops, experimentation and practice.
Abi is now a member of Make Southwest.
The Process
Abi has been throwing pots for over twenty years. Her Raku pieces are wheel-thrown from a porcelain and clay mix, glazed with copper wash, then fired at 1000°C before being placed in a reduction bin with sawdust. The fire, smoke and oxygen create colours and marks that can never quite be repeated — every piece is one of a kind.
Each pot carries the unpredictability of fire.
RAKU FIRING Workshops
Fire, smoke and ancient technique.
A two-day journey from clay to flame, creating ceramics shaped by fire and chance.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
Direct ceramic creation.
LIVE FIRING PROCESS
Witness the flame.
NATURAL & UNPREDICTABLE
Unique outcomes daily.
TAKE HOME YOUR WORK
Finished studio pieces.
Together with three friends, I recently participated in this workshop in the beautiful Devon village of Christow. Despite our different skill levels (from professional potter to evening class enthusiast) we all really enjoyed the workshop and learned an enormous amount about alternative firing techniques. Abi and Alison engaged with each of us at exactly the right level and were encouraging and helpful to the more tentative members of our group. Despite being - importantly – very safety conscious, they both clearly enjoyed the fun, drama and surprise of these different techniques, as did we.
Susie Parr
Kind Words
Such a great weekend learning under the instruction of Abi and Alison. Our group was an eclectic mix of professional potters, enthusiasts and in my case beginners. It just suited everyone!
The skills we were able to take away with us are simply amazing, I had no idea I was to learn so much in a matter of days. The excitement when the finished product is revealed was just another aspect of the weekend I was not expecting.
“Well done guys”! Just a beautifully designed and executed course that would suit anyone and the homemade lunches were to die for!
Simon Ford
Together with three friends, I recently participated in this workshop in the beautiful Devon village of Christow. Despite our different skill levels (from professional potter to evening class enthusiast) we all really enjoyed the workshop and learned an enormous amount about alternative firing techniques. Abi and Alison engaged with each of us at exactly the right level and were encouraging and helpful to the more tentative members of our group. Despite being - importantly – very safety conscious, they both clearly enjoyed the fun, drama and surprise of these different techniques, as did we.
Susie Parr
Beautiful setting, delicious food, two very experienced inspirational potters and teachers, relaxed informal atmosphere. Each of us prepared pots for saggar, barrel and raku firings carried out over the weekend, with practical info about safety, firing methods, kilns, glazes , colouring effects , cleaning and finishing pots ,
It was exciting and dramatic , strongly recommended..
Maggie O'Connor
Fantastic.
Everything is well explained, questions answered knowledgeably. These ladies know their stuff. Thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Mill. Food was fantastic.
Looking forward to seeing the results of our efforts. Highly recommend this course.
Alison Strivens
I learnt loads on this enjoyable course about raku, barrel and saggar firing methods, not least because not everything was predictable.
Thanks to Alison and Abi, I now feel confident to try these myself and experiment till I find my own preferences.
I'm experienced in other forms of pottery and am very glad I've added to my knowledge through this course.
Lee Cox
Hi Abi and Alison
Just to thank you both for such an informative and wonderful course at the weekend. It was just so nice to get away and meet like minded people since being a potter can be a lonely profession. I came away on a high determined to get back in the studio again but of course that will have to wait until after I get back from my holiday and with this weather it can't come soon enough!
Good luck with the next course.
Sue x
Handmade in Devon — Each piece is one of a kind