About herclay

herclay is a one woman business run by me (Rosie Livemore). I make all my ceramics, from beginning to end, in a small studio located at the bottom of my South-East London garden. I began making ceramics in the summer of 2017 at a communal studio in East London. It began as a form of therapy for me during my time working within the domestic abuse sector. It quickly became an obsession and has been growing ever since. I can’t imagine where I would be now if I hadn’t found pottery, and have to pinch myself daily. I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I love and I hope my love for the art translates into my pieces.

I am inspired by simple form and functional design. My tea tastes better when drinking from a well designed mug, and this is what drives my work. If I don’t enjoy drinking tea from one of my designs, it’s not good enough to sell! Because of this, each piece has been designed and evolved through experimentation, trials, errors, and lots of refinement (and of course lots of tea drinking).

I enjoy creating my own clay mixtures by combining ready made clays with one another, allowing me to alter the colour, texture and tone of each clay.

Glazing, for me, is one of the most challenging elements of the making process. It has taken a lot of time (and expense) to find my staples. I am most excited by earthy tones, visual texture and warmth.

Shop openings

I plan to open my online shop at various times throughout the year. Closing the shop gives me the opportunity to develop my stock for the next shop opening, without having to interrupt this with posting items and admin surrounding the shop. This means that the shop will only stay open for a definitive amount of time. Please fill in the form at the bottom of the page so that you can be the first one to hear about future shop openings and announcements about when the shop is due to close.

Sustainability

I am trying to pay attention to my impact on the environment and am therefore focusing on using sustainable packaging where possible. I will be packaging all items in cardboard boxes (recycled where possible) with paper packing tape (both recyclable). The ceramics will be wrapped in biodegradable or recyclable bubble wrap and the boxes filled with biodegradable void filler. If for any reason your item is not wrapped in eco bubble wrap or void filler, it will be because I am recycling packaging I already have. Please reuse and recycle to help limit our waste. If you have any suggestions regarding sustainability, you are welcome to send me an email (found in the contact section).

Pricing

A huge amount of work goes into making each individual item you see on this website. Each piece is priced with that in mind. Although they are more expensive than what you can find in your average high street shop, keep in mind that they are handmade and all are unique.

Delivery & Returns

As it takes time to package and send items, I estimate your purchase will be shipped out within 2-3 days. If I receive an unprecedented number of orders, shipping times may take longer. I ask for your kindness, understanding and patience in receiving your items as I am working solo.

I will be packaging each item with as much protection as possible, but in the unfortunate event that your ceramics gets damaged during transit, please let me know within 7 days and I will replace the item for you as soon as possible.

Please carefully read descriptions for dimensions, sizes and care instructions. As my ceramics is produced in batches, sizes and finishes may vary. Please ensure you are happy with the items specifics before purchasing.

If there are any issues with your item please get in touch via email and we can find a resolution.

If you need to return an item that you don’t feel is suitable, please send me an email. I can then give you a return address. Postage will need to be covered by you unless the item was received faulty. I cannot accept returns after 14 days of receipt. If an item is returned in a non-resalable condition, I will be unable to issue a refund. Please ensure you package the return carefully so it doesn’t get damaged in transit.