Welcome to my first Newsletter - Spring 2024 edition!

I thought I’d start by introducing myself, and then get onto why I’m starting a newsletter. My name is Honor, I’m 22 and currently live in the South East of England. In June 2023 I graduated from Reading University with a degree in International Development, and for a long time had envisioned myself pursuing a career in social welfare policy, or something along those lines. Throughout my three years studying, however, I found myself becoming increasingly pessimistic towards the effectiveness of the environmental and political strategies I was learning about, and  disillusioned about what I could do to change this. When I graduated, I didn’t know what to do next, feeling like a jack of all trades but master of none, and unqualified for any jobs in my field despite my degree. 

To give myself time to think about what to do next, in the summer of 2023 I moved back home and set up an Etsy shop called Honor’s Emporium, selling illustrated cards and postcards, while working in a cafe and also as a childminder. I also bought a pottery wheel from facebook marketplace, and set up a little home studio. I quickly remembered how much I love ceramics, and after feeling very inadequate in terms of the job market, found it comforting to see my throwing skills progressing quickly, having tangible objects to show for the time and effort I was putting into my pottery. Just before Christmas, I swapped my cafe job to work as a pottery technician for a few hours each week. Which pretty much brings us up to now! Although I still have my cards for sale on my Etsy shop, I am pursuing ceramics now, and have started selling a few different ceramics items on my Etsy site too. 

So why a newsletter? I mostly document my ceramics work on Instagram, and having pretty much grown up with the internet, it’s fun to join in making videos and finding a creative community. This being said, I didn’t really use social media for a number of years before I made my pottery/Etsy Instagram account, and definitely prefer making and consuming more long form content. I’m a big reader, and also love watching youtube and documentaries. I think often Instagram can feel like I’m posting videos and photos that will fit other people’s taste - and while this felt more normal when I was marketing my postcards and cards, now that I lean towards showing my making processes and personal ceramics projects, I’ve been keen to try something that feels more like my style. I think it’s very true that you talk about what you love, and I love ceramics and therefore love rambling about it…hence the newsletter!

My idea is that I will write a newsletter each season, to chat about all things pottery; what I’ve been working on, what I’m finding inspiring, what my short term and long term goals are etc. Perhaps I’ll mention any pottery related books or videos I’ve been watching, or any current work I’m particularly admiring. I’m excited for this new little chapter of my pottery work, and hope you enjoy joining me. 

My current main goals are to get my website up and running (if you’re receiving this newsletter that should mean I’ve managed that!), and I’m hoping to start making some longer videos for youtube. I have a workaway coming up - for those who haven’t heard of it before, Workaway is a site that connects people interested in traveling to hosts who tend to provide bed and board in exchange for some work each day. It encourages communal living and sustainable traveling. I’m visiting a family in the South of Italy, who have a homestead and pottery studio, so I’m planning on making a video showing that trip. I’ve also been working on a ceramics art piece lately, which has been a very different process to my usual functional work, so keep an eye out for that! Lastly, I'm starting another job doing some technician work at a second pottery studio this week which is exciting!

That’s all from me for now I reckon, thank you so much for taking the time to read this! If you would be interested in hearing from me in my Summer newsletter, please feel free to subscribe, then it will land in your inbox in a few months time :)

Hope you are well, and catch up soon!

Love Honor x

Last term of uni.