CRAFT AND DESIGN have always been a big part of Irish culture, but right now ceramics in particular are having a moment. Sleek, handmade items make for an enviable addition to your shelves and to your home, so this week we are looking at some of Ireland’s finest ceramicists and letting you know where you can find their beautiful work.

Adam Frew Ceramics 

Adam Frew is based in rural Co Derry where he works with porcelain to create tableware and one-off pots. The delicacy and fragility of his chosen material contrasts starkly with the apparently haphazard brush strokes that adorn them.

There’s an attractive discordance between form and ornamentation that gives Frew’s work a truly unique quality. This friction is enhanced by shades of aquamarine and eggshell punctuated by bold red and orange ‘scribbles’.

Frew’s pieces have an abstract sensibility that’s confrontational but beautiful too. The Belfast Art College graduate also teaches classes from his workshop. Visit adamfrew.com to view a selection of his work. Available to buy from irishdesignshop.com. An espresso beaker costs €30.  

Danu 

Ruth Power founded Danu Ceramics in Dublin in 2015 and she has rooted her brand in the design practice of Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese aesthetic that values what is imperfect, handmade and simple.

Named after the ancient Celtic Goddess of earth and creativity and the Hindu Goddess of water – three elements fundamental to the creation of ceramics – Danu offers a collection of handmade bowls, trinket dishes and jewellery, much of which is decorated with hand-painted 22kt-gold motifs. The aesthetic is delicate and feminine and while each bowl and dish has a use, they are pretty enough to simply display on dressers, shelves and side tables.

The pendants and necklaces incorporate quirky depictions of beetles, barn owls and frogs, as well as pretty ivy leaves. Bowls and dishes start at €29 and jewellery starts at €36 for a pendant. Visit danuceramics.ie. 

Charlie Mahon Ceramics Pottery

Colourful, whimsical and full of charm, Charlie Mahon’s tableware will bring a playfulness to meal times. Based in Cork, Mahon studied sculpture at the Crawford Gallery of Art before moving to the USA on a scholarship to study ceramics.

He has four signature collections available on his website: Red Heart Grá, Green Heart Design, Mackerel Fish and Witty Sheep and within each there’s a selection of mugs, plates and bowls. Handmade from white earthenware clay and hand-painted, Mahon’s pieces are a showcase not just of his skill as a ceramicist but of his talent as an artist.

Brimming with humour and personality, Mahon’s pottery is perfect for storing on open shelves. They’re much too fun to hide away in closed kitchen cupboards. Prices start at €20 for a ramekin or dipping bowl. Visit charliemahonceramicspottery.com. 

Helen Faulkner Ceramics

Belfast-based Faulkner’s signature earthy terracotta and duck-egg blue designs have a strength and delicacy that bring an extra tactility to her tableware collections.

A graduate of the Design & Crafts Council’s ceramics and pottery skills course in Kilkenny, her inspiration is food so it’s not surprising that her offering goes beyond rudimentary mugs and plates. A French butter keeper, a coffee cafetiere and an oil pourer are just some of the exquisite, non-essential items she creates.

Faulkner works with rich red terracotta clay, which is dipped in a glaze she describes as looking like grey double cream, giving them a beautiful texture that will bring elegance and character to any table. Prices start at €13.03 for a mini jug or mini bowl. Visit helenfaulknerceramics.com. 

Katharina Treml 

Austria-born, Waterford-based Treml works in stoneware and porcelain, keeping forms simple and decoration considered. She believes pottery is about connection and offers a tangible way to engage with others, as well as with the materials themselves.

Crafting tableware and vessels that have an assuming charm coupled with an ethereal beauty, Treml takes inspiration from her county’s copper coast. Evocative colours such as honey yellow, speckle, rust and yellow ash bring a distinctiveness and dreaminess to her stunning collections.

A graduate of the Design & Crafts Council’s ceramics and pottery skills course, she is always evolving her offering as she loves spontaneous experimentation. Prices start at €35 for a porcelain coffee mug. Visit katharineteml.com.