Finding your passion after retirement | Susy Ward Ceramics

Finding your passion after retirement | Susy Ward Ceramics

Susy Ward is an effervescent, 78 year old studio potter based in Cornwall.

She doesn’t churn out the same pieces time and time again, but is instead driven by what inspires her in a given moment. This means that every piece of Ward’s has a limited edition, one of a kind feel to it.

Susy’s love for cooking is the common thread that ties much of her work together. In my opinion, this is one of the reasons she is such a brilliant potter. From her cheese colanders that she sells with a square of cheesecloth and the recipe for a Sicilian ricotta, to her tankards designed with summer bbqs (and sticky hands) in mind. Her creations and designs are made for foodies and for people who love a good get together.

It wasn’t until her 50s that Susy tried her hand at pottery (and ultimately fell in love with it). Her story is a brilliant reminder that it’s never too late to discover a new passion or begin a new chapter in life. Before becoming a potter she was “an adventurer, a parent, an entrepreneur, worked in insurance, was a banker and a cook”. Now along with the title of potter she is also a teacher. Susy runs weekly workshops in her studio and delights in sharing pottery with people of all ages and abilities. She champions the notion that you don’t need to fit into the constraints of being a ’technically’ good artist and that through play, trial and error you are bound to make something wonderful. You are bound to make a mark.

One of the many joys of interviewing artists and crafts people is the life lessons I take away from each encounter. And I can safely say that Susy Ward’s sheer gumption makes her one hell of a role model.

I hope you enjoy this interview, for more doses of Susy Ward you can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/susywardceramics/ or visit her website https://www.susywardceramics.com

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