Pitt Farm Pottery – Kate Benson – Turning Quiet

Discipline Ceramics

Turning Quiet

Both throwing and hand-building are slow, deliberate processes—repetitive yet absorbing. There’s jeopardy at every stage; clay is fragile, glazes unpredictable, and the kiln has a mind of its own. But the real luxury is the space I get—the time alone to reset.

My studio is a place of quiet focus, where the rhythm of making slows everything down. The wheel turns, my hands shape, and in that repetition, I find calm. Stories or music may fill the background, but it’s the solitude, the steady movement of clay taking form, that feels like a reset.

I work in stoneware and porcelain, making vessels and functional tableware—pieces designed to be held, used, and enjoyed. I use nerikomi to blend clays, layering colour and pattern into the body of the work, and I shape by hand when the form demands it. Each piece carries something of that stillness, created in the midst of a world bursting with life just beyond the studio door.

Venue contact: Kate Benson 07540605736
Venue address: Pitt Farm, Ford, Wiveliscombe TA4 2RH
Directions: Off Grants Lane, drive runs down behind the thatched farmhouse, leading directly to Pitt Farm
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Parking:  On site
Refreshments: Coffee, Tea and Cake
Dogs Allowed: Assistance Dogs Only
Accessibility: Wheelchair access is available to the pottery. A temporary ramp can be provided if needed. For those able to walk, there are a few stairs from the car park area to the studio.

Artists in the parish: John Abraham, Doulla Aebli, Rachel Gundry,  Colette Fowler-Marson, Jos Harral, Chris Howe, Alexandra Lavizzari, Stephen Martin, Susie Palmer, Ulick Palmer, Victoria Ward, Silver Street Studios, Secret Island Artisan Shop, Paul Williams, Kingsmead Art Department, Langley Moor, Simon Healy, Rosie Boylan, Nicky Saunter, Jan Boddington

Events in the parish: School of Stitch, Contrasts – a September Soiree, Red Priest, William Sitwell, Myc Rugglesford, Kingsmead Lunchtime Concert

Parish information: Wiveliscombe has a number of great places to eat and drink including The Bear and White Hart pubs, The Phoenix Kitchen and Whelan’s Café. There are plenty of footpaths near the town centre for local walks as well as a selection of independent shops to visit.