Elaine Sheppard Bolt Ceramics

01/10/2026

I’m delighted to be exhibiting at the wonderful Byard Art gallery in Cambridge right now for their show ‘Breath of Fresh Air’ featuring brand new artists and artwork. Catch it while you can

09/09/2026

Just having a little look back at some of my twig/lichen/utensil inspired ceramic and mixed media wall pieces. I started making these while doing my MA in 2011 and never stopped loving the combination and groupings. The original inspiration came from walks in woodland and on the beach, finding both natural forms and human-made things intertwined and seeing the beauty in the detail. The framing has been important - placing them in rows and collections like museum pieces. Perhaps it’s my background in archival work or just my human need to categorise. Image one and three were from my MA show, the others are from different times since then. I have a new selection of ceramic wall pieces that follow in this lineage and will be exhibited this autumn. More on this very soon.

02/09/2026

A glimpse of new pieces ready just in just in time for Artwave Festival this weekend where I’ll be showing my work with the Pond House Studio group - nine exceptional artists & makers exhibiting at the Barn on the Green in Ditchling on 5th & 6th September.

The group is in Venue 02 on the Rural Trail - Ditchling Barn, Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling BN6 8SP.

The fabulous artists and makers are:


syann van niftrik
Kathie

Nigel Hunter

Elaine Sheppard Boltbarberton
With tasty catering from Merle’s Kitchen all weekend.

Why not Visit Ditchling and make a day of it

Also, shout out to for doing all my latest framing with supreme patience

22/08/2026

Handbuilding with Porcelain - Come and join my weekly small and friendly handbuilding class, working with porcelain and stoneware.
Fridays 10.00am – 12.30pm starting 4th Sept at my studio in Sussex.
If you’d like to try handbuilding with porcelain, have a look at my website or get in touch
Handbuilding with Porcelain - Come and join my weekly small and friendly handbuilding class, working with porcelain and stoneware.
Fridays 10.00am – 12.30pm starting 4th Sept at my studio in Sussex.
If you’d like to try handbuilding with porcelain, have a look at my website or get in touch

The studio is in a beautiful old converted barn on the edge of Ditchling Common with on-site parking and can be reached easily from Ditchling and Burgess Hill by bike or car.

15/08/2026

A selection of my porcelain wall pieces inspired by gardens are on display in the beautiful setting of Borde Hill Garden

14/08/2026

Handbuilding with Porcelain - This September I’ll be running my weekly small-group hand-building class, working with porcelain and stoneware.
Fridays 10.00am – 12.30pm starting 4th Sept at my studio in Sussex.

Techniques will include:
- making vessels in porcelain paperclay
- making botanical influenced pieces in porcelain
- working with mixed media
- decorating and colouring clay
Or pursue your own ideas with full support and guidance from me

If you’d like to try handbuilding with porcelain or would like to develop your skills in ceramics have a look at my website (link in bio)

Craft Potters Association Visit Ditchling London Potters The Makers Directory

08/08/2026

Coloured porcelain pieces fresh out of the kiln. Waiting to be assembled and framed.

29/07/2026

Recently I’ve been using more wire pieces and wire ‘handles’ in my work and one inspiration behind it has been thinking about the use of wire in gardens. It’s often used a material for intervention in nature, such as plant supports, or as a barrier or to control or change the shape of how things grow. So I wanted to include wire alongside my other garden-inspired ceramics. The wire I’ve used in my compositions is sometimes also there to define a negative space within a group, to suggest a space where nature and people may meet.
I’ll be showing my sculptural pieces and wall pieces next in Ditchling for Artwave Festival with 5-6 Sept

21/07/2026

Making today - using oxide stained porcelain to make fern leaves using a real one as a stencil, and rolling branches for trees.
Also preserving leaves from my Acer tree chewed almost completely by roaming dear. It’s the give and take I guess, but I was upset. The lesson is to work with what works. The brambles and bracken are doing well.

14/07/2026

Making tiny flowing grasses in paper porcelain today