handmade coffee mug with abstract splatter pattern in a mountain stream made by land and line ceramics

Handmade ceramics by Verity Haynes

I create my pottery from my home studio in Queenstown.

My work is inspired by New Zealand’s natural beauty. Whether it’s the calming green of a fern filled glade, the irregular shape of a river-smoothed pebble or the patterns of a rolling landscape, laid out on a contour map.

handleless coffee mug tumbler with abstract topographic line art glaze design with mountains behind handmade in New Zealand by land and line ceramics

The name Land and Line is an extension of those influences. Land - earth, clay, colour, texture. Line - contour, shape, form, design.

I bring these elements into my work to create beautiful, functional pottery that I hope you will enjoy every day

My pieces are made primarily with slab-building methods. This process involves rolling out flat sheets of clay. I then use my own templates as guides to determine the shape and size of each form

Once the slabs have been cut out and assembled they are dried slowly over a week or so to minimize the risk of cracking and warping. They are then bisque fired and ready to be glazed

The colours and shapes you’ll find in my work are influenced by the landscape of New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

handmade mug made in New Zealand by Land and Line Ceramics with abstract line art mountain design

I apply each glaze by brush, using up to 8 layers to achieve the desired outcome. Only once each layer has dried can the next be applied. Once the final coat has been brushed on they are ready to be fired again.

After two days the kiln is cool enough to be opened and a final sand smooths off the base to complete the piece.

Pottery is a slow process of many steps and it takes 4 - 6 weeks from wet clay to glazed ceramic. Each step is carefully and patiently executed at just the right time and not one can be rushed.

But, they say good things take time and there’s nothing quite like taking a moment out of your day to enjoy your favourite brew from a beautifully hand-crafted vessel

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