Ceramics by Forwood Design
Forwood Design’s new ceramics collection, created in collaboration with Paul Mossman, boasts bespoke, nature-inspired creations that add a touch of the earth to any tablescape. Paul Mossman, British potter and artisan ceramics craftsman, creates hand-thrown ceramics using traditional methods. This manual method of creating pottery is an artisan craft produced by working clay on a potter’s wheel. Each of Paul’s pieces is uniquely created, resulting in a truly authentic product that beautifully represents Forwood Design’s nature-inspired collections.
Read on to learn how Paul Mossman crafts his ceramics and some of the inspirations that propelled him into his life’s work.
About Paul
Paul Mossman’s interest in ceramics began in school and developed throughout his life.
“Similarly to Henry Forwood, nature and my environment have been at the heart of what has influenced me over the years. At the end of the school day, I went to pottery while the teachers had their staff meeting. Soon after, I went to college from 18 to 21, and there I began making food pots. I was always intrigued by the gable ends of terrace houses and the fancy Victorian brickwork,” Paul says.
Artisan White Stoneware Jug & Serving Bowl from our Ceramics Collection
Paul then went on to spend two years working on the railway, during which he saved money to buy a kiln and wheel. He continued to craft ceramics in his small workshop in Sheffield after he finished work on the railway. In Canterbury, he made super-giant garden pots for Terrance Contan’s shop on Kings Road, as well as Harrods and the General Trading Company. After working at Hode pottery in Canterbury for 6 years, he ultimately started on his own in 1994 and still creates ceramics to this day.
Forwood Design’s Bespoke Ceramics Collection
Our latest Forwood Design x Paul Mossman ceramics collection offers a range of tableware, simply perfect for dressing a spring tablescape. Boasting tableware in Artisan White and Persian Green, our collection complements our nature-inspired themes with a bit of added character that represents Paul Mossman’s style.
Paul Mossman’s background and travels have undoubtedly influenced his work today.
“My love of walking and rock climbing around the UK and Europe has always been front and centre and totally consuming. I am also entranced by the water landscapes I’ve seen while dinghy sailing on local lakes or in Turkish and Greek waters,” Paul says.
Paul Mossman’s Ceramics Collection: Serving Platter with Detailing
“The giant landscape had invigorated me for decades, but something had always eluded me. Then one day, the penny dropped, and the micro puddles on stones gave me an answer to something I had spent a lifetime looking for,” he added.
Just like in our ceramics collection, each piece Paul creates is exclusive and possesses its own subtly individualistic features due to the wheel-thrown techniques he has fine-tuned over the years. Mossman affirms that this type of wheel-thrown work has always been his first love, in addition to his creation of big platters, as seen in this collection.
“The bowl reminds me of infinity curves, with no flat spots– just a constantly moving curve.” Paul says.
Paul’s methods allow him to execute a vision that creates a marked difference in design from that of mass-manufactured “perfection.”
“My small modern wheel gives me a lot more control to be creative and slowly force and control the clay into ways it may not want to go. When throwing, coiling and modelling clay, things start to happen that are not totally in control. But if it goes somewhere I don’t like, I simply remove that area and start again. In this way, I am in total control of the end result. But I do love my electric wheel and my electric kiln. It allows me to have a life after work” Paul says.
Elevate Your Spring Tablescape with Forwood Design Ceramics
A tablescape is simply thought of as the way a table is designed. This includes everything you need to create a beautiful setting for a dinner party or spring holiday– from plates, glasses and utensils, to centrepieces and other decorations arranged aesthetically. Items from our ceramics collection create focal points, and from there, you can organise any tabletop that suits the occasion, from a simple to an ornate setup. When arranging your tablescape, there are some key elements to keep in mind. Be sure to read our guide to creating a luxury tablescape to learn more.
Related Article: Your Guide to Creating a Luxury Tablescape
