About

Following his recent commission with Studio Pottery London for the newly refurbished suites at The Dorchester, acclaimed potter Michel François showcases a new series of sculptural pieces inspired by his work for the iconic hotel. Michel is also co-hosting demonstrations that reveal his approach to hand-thrown pottery and his unique glazing techniques, as well as releasing a capsule collection of new ceramic pieces retailing exclusively through studio-pottery-london.com

Based in Falmouth, Cornwall, potter Michel François established his eponymous studio in 2003. He specialises in ancient ceramic techniques, handcrafting sculptural porcelain vessels finished with naturally-derived glazes, inspired in part by ancient Chinese ware. Using Feldspar and Cornish stone with ash from local trees including chestnut, ash and beech, Michel carefully creates glazes in his studio by hand which result in unique finishes when fired.

By starving the kiln of oxygen, Michel draws minerals and oxides from inside the clay to the surface where they react with the ash glaze, combining to act as micro-prisms that filter and reflect light. This intricate process ensures that each piece Michel creates is a complete one-off, and is what drew Lucy Attwood, director of Studio Pottery London, to collaborate with Michel to create a series of bespoke pieces for The Dorchester Hotel celebrating ancient craft meeting timeless form.

Now, for a special showcase, Michel displays a new series of elegant Palace Jars, Royal Jars, Swan Vases and Moon Jars dressed in an array of his unique glazes, each inspired by the works created for The Dorchester. Colours range from soft blue-white celadons to deep amber blacks, cascading jade greens and flambé plum reds to showcase the breadth of Michel’s work with natural glazes. Alongside this, Michel hosts a series of demonstrations on the making of the iconic large Moon Jar which is currently on display at The British Museum.