Rediscovering Clay: A Journey Back to Pottery with Vaughan Norman

Vaughan making a ceramic platter.

There’s something magical about working with clay—the feeling of shaping something with your hands, of moulding earth into a form that’s both functional and beautiful. For Vaughan Norman, a ceramic artist from Hamilton, New Zealand, pottery has been a personal journey spanning decades. Currently producing stoneware pottery and sculptures using a reduction-fired gas kiln, Vaughan has found a way to reconnect with his passion for clay after a long 15-year break.

Inspired by the greats like Shoji Hamada and Bernard Leach, as well as their South African mentor Andrew Walford, Vaughan’s pottery embraces the oriental stoneware tradition. It’s not just about making pots; it’s about continuing a tradition that speaks to something deeply human.

Vaughan first discovered the art of pottery in the early 1980s in South Africa. Encouraged by Andrew Walford’s mentorship, he fell in love with the process of shaping clay, the feeling of working with something so raw and elemental. But as life sometimes takes us on different paths, Vaughan stepped away from pottery for 15 years. Recently, though, he has returned to it—this time with a renewed sense of purpose, even if it means relearning the skills that had once come so naturally.

For Vaughan, pottery is more than just a craft; it’s a welcome escape from the conversation-heavy, thought-driven nature of daily life. Working with clay brings a sense of balance, offering a hands-on, tactile experience that feels grounding.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Vaughan’s work is their approach to reduction firing—a process that’s both technical and unpredictable. The way fire interacts with the minerals in the clay creates unique textures and colors, turning each piece into a one-of-a-kind creation. The natural elements of earth, fire, water, and air all play a part in the process, making every piece feel like a collaboration between the potter and the elements.

The pottery Vaughan creates doesn’t always end up exactly as planned, and that’s part of the beauty. What might start as an attempt to recreate a previous piece often takes on a life of its own, evolving into something entirely new. It’s this dynamic process that keeps Vaughan captivated, allowing the craft to become a form of expression—where sometimes, it feels like the pottery is shaping the potter as much as the other way around.

In the end, it’s this organic, evolving approach that makes Vaughan’s work so unique. Every bowl, vase, or sculpture is a reflection of the interplay between intention and surprise, skill and chance, the potter and the clay. It’s a journey that Vaughan is still very much on, with each piece being a step further into the art of pottery.