Our Team
Express Yourself!
Hand building, Throwing, Sculpting
Potters and Volunteers
Catherine Wahlberg – Wheel Thrower & Lead Volunteer
Catherine is the lead volunteer having established the pottery in 2019. She is a wheel thrower and instructs potters at all levels from beginner to experienced.
Catherine’s first job aged 15 was at Denmead pottery in Hampshire. She later qualified as a solicitor and is now the Managing Director at Alsters Kelley Solicitors.
She returned to pottery practice 18 years ago when she was taught by the very well known slipware potter Richard Phethean at his studio then in Sibford Ferris.
“I love that clay is for everyone. Don’t worry if you don’t think you are artistic. On the wheel it’s just physics and you can achieve beautiful results with simple slips and glazes.”
Favourite Clay: Valentines Standard Terracotta
Top Tip: Embrace mistakes – they’re a point for growth and a great opportunity for learning – stepping stones to success.
Tess Trinder – Volunteer & Instructor
Tess joined us as a hand building instructor in January 2024.
A former civil servant of nearly 40 years, Tess kept her creative hand in throughout by painting and crafting. Having taken early retirement, she returned to pottery in 2022 after a hiatus of some 30 years.
At our studio, Tess has enjoyed developing fun and quirky ‘one session’ projects.
Teaching hand building on Sundays, she supports adults who are starting out on their clay journey as well as intermediate makers improving their skills with longer more complex builds.
“Carpe lutum! – Seize the Clay!”
Favourite Clay: Stoneware – either Potclays Vulcan Black or Valentines Millenium White
Top Tip: Just relax and enjoy yourself – learning about pottery could be the journey of a lifetime, or just a few short hours to chill out and think of nothing else but the clay.
Nick White – Technician, Volunteer & Instructor
Nick joined the pottery in 2022 learning the ropes as a volunteer technician.
With a background in engineering and design he is responsible for many of the bespoke facilities in the pottery.
He looks after potters work ensuring that it gets to the kiln safely for firing and glazing. Nick otherwise deals with the jobs of recycling clay, maintenance of technical equipment and development of the pottery. Nick is a wheel thrower and instructs beginners.
“To fully understand your progress it’s a useful to cut your thrown pots in half – however painful!”
Favourite Clay: Valentines KGM
Top Tip: repetition provides opportunity for the brain to learn and for you to develop muscle memory.
Rebecca Strefford – Instructor
Rebecca began teaching at the pottery in 2023 with the expansion of our facilities.
Rebecca has been practicing ceramics since 2014.
She teaches both hand building and Sculpture on our Thursday evening class, crank clay days and Sculpture Club.
“I love sharing what I love to do – it means the world”
Favourite Clay: Valentines White Grogged Earthenware
Top Tip: If at any point you are struggling, step away, leave the room and make a cuppa. When you step back in you will see your piece differently.
About Our Team
