Potfest, Hutton in the Forest 2026
- Kelly Archer
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Did you know that the first ever Potfest was held in Penrith in 1994? I always feel humbled that our county has the honour of that title.
It's been a while since I did a round-up post of one of the Potfest events, but the event held at Hutton-in-the-Forest always inspires; it's such a beautiful location set in the grounds of a beautiful house and garden. We visited on the Friday (it's held over three days) and luckily the weather held for us.
I've picked out a selection of my favourites. The great thing about pottery is that like any art form, different pots appeal to different people, and these are the pots that appealed to me (in no particular order):
I loved her green/blue/orange colour scheme which unified her work, and those oval vessels actually come apart in sections which must be extremely difficult to make.
I just love her colour palette and the modern styling of her hand-thrown porcelain.
I just knew that Russell had to have come from an illustrative background and I was right. I hadn't seen his work before but I fell in love with it straightaway - definitely one to watch.
Simple and stylish porcelain pieces.
I love Rhian's use of linework with cobalt and gold touches, and I would just like to say that there is no way on earth I would be able to reproduce it because I really do not have such steady hands!
Unfortunately my photos don't do these tiny masterpieces justice. Miniature porcelain florals from Belgium displayed like something you would find in a Victorian curiosity cabinet.
And at the other end of the scale, giant porcelain flowers!
Both beuatiful and functional, David's vessels show off his salt-glaze method to the best effect.
I can't begin to tell you how much I love Felicity's animal sculptures. Click on the photos for a closer look!
Raku cermics have a raw energy to them and I really love the subtle colour palette here.
I love the strong sense of earthiness that comes from Jessica's reduction-fired ware. They look like they've been pulled straight from a rustic French farmhouse.
Unknown
I made the cardinal sin of not picking up a card or taking a photograph of the signage to identify this maker. If anyone knows who it is I will gladly credit them! The stunning glazes contrasted with the unglazed outer walls and random drips are really beautiful!
These functional pots are made by foodies for foodies.
Hannah and Doug are the best traditional slipware artists I have seen. In general, Doug throws and Hannah decorates. They are both very talented and lovely to talk to.
Okay, who doesn't love a giant green camel? I was also struck by John's Potfest competition entry.
The precise use of stencils gives Georgie's work a stunning contemporary feel.
I really hope you enjoyed my little round up!
And if you want to see what we've been up to, you can find us @archer.terry.ceramics1 on Instagram, Archer Terry Studios on Facebook, TikTok and Bluesky, and the good old interweb at www.archerterrystudios.com.
Kelly (and Steve) x
Absolutely loved scrolling slowly through these gems. It was almost as good as walking around in person! Thanks for sharing. Slightly starry eyed at the camel! To be fair there is a huge range of gorgeous pottery here and I've loved learning a bit more. Thanks so much, Kate x