Earth Studies is a sub-project of Earth Notes, exploring wild clays sourced from across the UK as both a material and a way of reading the land. This series investigates the distinct qualities of each clay – their mineral content, plasticity, and the transformations they undergo when shaped, burnished, and fired.

Each clay sample is hand-processed and formed into paired organic spheres. One sphere remains in its raw, unfired state – hand-carved, burnished to a subtle sheen, and finished with beeswax to preserve its natural tactility. Its twin is fired at a low, sustainable temperature, allowing the inherent colour shifts and surface changes to emerge through heat. Together, these pairs act as quiet markers of material transformation and geological provenance.

Placed in relation to one another, the spheres create a map of the landscape, charting the diversity of clays and their intimate connection to place. They speak not only to the histories embedded in the earth but also to the potential of clay to guide us toward more sustainable, contemporary ceramic practices. By working with natural, locally-sourced materials and low-impact processes, Earth Studies reflects on how traditional techniques might inform future models of making – ones rooted in care, reciprocity, and ecological awareness.

This work invites viewers to consider clay as both a physical substance and a record of deep time, prompting questions about permanence, transformation, and the possibilities of sustainable ceramics in a rapidly changing world.