Hallo, I'm Heather!
Hallo Ceramics presents a distinctive range of ceramic jewellery and homewares that celebrate joyful expression through colour, pattern, and form. Each piece is thoughtfully designed using bold colour palettes & playful shapes, resulting in works that are both expressive and individual.
Rooted in ideas of creativity, empowerment, and self-expression, Heather's work invites wearers and collectors to reconnect with their inner child; that part of ourselves drawn to play, curiosity, and delight.
Hallo Ceramics' pieces are made to be cherished. They offer meaningful gifts for loved ones, or joyful keepsakes to celebrate and nurture your own sense of play and individuality.
How it's done at Hallo HQ!
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THE MAKING
Ceramics is a slow, intentional craft. Each piece takes time to design, shape, and finish, and every stage requires care and patience. I both slip-cast & hand-build my work in my home studio. They are then left to dry slightly overnight before I gently refine the surfaces using water and a sponge. Some pieces are then hand-painted with my signature illustrative designs.
At this stage, the work is incredibly fragile, even the lightest knock can cause breakage. Once fully dried, or “bone dry,” the pieces are finally ready for their first kiln firing.
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THE PAINTING
My hand-painted collections are created slowly and with intention, drawing on my background in illustration and a love of playful shapes and vibrant colour pairings.
I am fascinated by the way colours interact and the emotions they evoke, creating pieces designed to spark joy and encourage a connection with the inner child. Each work is finished with a transparent glaze, enhancing the richness of the colours and giving the surface a beautiful glossy sheen.
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THE GLAZING
I glaze my work in two ways: by hand-painting with brush-on glazes or by dipping each piece. Once glazed, the pieces are ready for the kiln again. This firing reaches temperatures between 1100°C and 1300°C, depending on the clay body, the type of glaze used, and the purpose of the piece. For example, tableware is typically fired at higher temperatures for strength and durability.
After this, it’s a few more days of anticipation before the kiln can be opened. The final reveal to see the finished surface, colours, and whether each piece has made it safely through.
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THE FINISH
Finally, after what feels like a lifetime of waiting for the kiln to cool to a safe temperature, the results are revealed. It’s important to say that not everything goes perfectly the first time; ceramics is very much a craft of trial and error. But when you get it right, it is incredibly rewarding.
Once the pieces are finished, I photograph them ready for sale, list them online, and then the rest is up to you. From start to finish, a single piece can take up to four weeks to complete. Like I said — slow, lovingly made!
