Tony Sly started making pottery in Hamilton in the mid-1980s before moving his studio to Raglan in the early 2000s.
“I’ve always loved walking the beach here”, he says, “so it felt obvious to base the studio in this lovely place. I look out at the harbour every day from my potter’s wheel and every day I pinch myself.
There’s something about the way this environment nurtures you. It’s very grounding and the pots I make have been influenced by that; simple and straightforward.
The colours come from the landscape and the sea … greens and blues and chalky whites. I try to evoke that mood in the look and feel of our stores too, where alongside our pottery we’re proud to present a range of homewares and furniture sourced from Europe and Asia as well as from here in Aotearoa.
After forty years our hand-thrown classic shapes have matured, but I think they’ve kept their spontaneity and freshness. We’re especially thrilled, now, to see a second (and third!) generation of cooks and collectors enjoying what we do.
It’s all quite humbling. Thank you so much for your support.”