What do you make?

Fused glass and jewellery

How long have you been running your creative business?

1 year - glass fusing for 8.

What inspired you to start your creative business?
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It was all I could think about when in my office job, so I finally decided to take the plunge and do what I love for a living.

Do you work at this full-time on your creative business or alongside other work?  Tell us about your other work?

Full time

How did you learn your craft - are you self-taught or did you attend courses - if so what and where?

One in person fused glass jewellery making course at Rainbow Glass Studios in Stoke Newington.  I also took a couple of specialist online fused glass courses, but otherwise self-taught with a lot of experimentation.

What is it you love most about the creative process?

Opening the kiln after a firing. It feels like a surprise every time, as you can't see the transformation of the hard sheet glass melting to form a new piece until the process is over.

​How do you find you benefit from being part of a creative collective?

Having a pooled resource of real life advice and experience has been great.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists, designers and makers?

Keep going! It can take time to find your artistic voice, hone your craft, and life events can overtake sometimes, but try to do some of what you love regularly.

What do you make?

Wheel thrown and slip cast porcelain vases, bowls and dishes. All hand decorated in bold black and white 60's inspired designs on the outside and glazed inside with a shiny orange glaze. I also make raku fired vases.

How long have you been running your creative business?

Just over a year.

What inspired you to start your creative business?

I had been taking weekly ceramics classes for several years. Lockdown gave me the opportunity to spend more time making and improving my throwing. And I suddenly had more pots than I could house!

Is there another craft you are drawn to other than your own?

Over the years I have worked and taught lots of art and design disciplines including graphics, illustration, jewellery, printmaking, 3D design. I feel that in my ceramics my interests come together. My fashion textiles background is reflected in the way my ceramics are about shape, pattern and colours. They are also very tactile; they are meant to be handled. I like to leave the exteriors unglazed to allow for the feel of the ceramic surface

Where do you look for creative inspiration?

​I feel very lucky to live in London and I often go to exhibitions and museums. I love the V&A which has an amazing ceramics gallery and fashion court. I have always collected ceramics - Brick Lane and car boot sales used to be happy hunting grounds. And I still manage to squeeze a treasure vase into my luggage when I visit European cities.

How do you find you benefit from being part of a creative collective?

Apart from the mutual support and sociability in Muswell Hill Creatives I think that becoming a member has opened more doors for me. The sharing of information about events and activities has meant that my work has had more exposure. I am particularly grateful for the business and marketing support. Like most creatives, I prefer to spend my time making.  MHC encourages me to work on my website, photography and social media.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists, designers and makers?

Love what you do and surround yourself with supportive people.

What is the biggest challenge of running a creative business?

Keeping on top of admin!

When you're not working on your business, how do you like to spend your time?  hobbies, pastimes etc

With friends and family; walking my little dog Kenneth; northern soul dancing at the Mildmay Club in Newington Green.  I also love to do a bit of travelling. 



Shop Jill Tattersall Ceramics​