Skip to content
Artwork for Colour and Ceramics
ArtsDesignVisual Arts

Colour and Ceramics

Bob Acton

Colour affects peoples’ emotional reactions and mood. In ceramics, the artist uses colour to imbue something other than that communicated from the form itself. This podcast explores the entire spectrum of colour, the psychology of colour, and how to use colour to communicate in ceramics.

Bob will not only interview top ceramic artists from around the world but also artists using other mediums who use colour in their work. Look for a new podcast every two weeks.

Bob can be contacted through his website at https://bobactonceramics.com/podcast or via the Colour and Ceramics Podcast Instagram page at https://instagram.com/colourandceramics

Play
  • 20 episodes
  • monthly
  • Avg 41 min
  • English
  • S3 · E56
    August 18 · 34 min

    Drew Caines: An English sculptor exploring the ancients.

    My guest today is Drew Caines, a ceramic artist based in Leeds in the north of England who has been working with clay for almost 30 years. Drew creates richly textured, often sculptural work that brings together influences from very different points in human history. He draws inspiration from ancient Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic art, folklore and ethnography, while also pulling in contemporary influences such as street art and Pop art. There is a wonderful sense of something both ancient and strangely familiar in Drew's work. Pattern, texture and intricate detail are central to his making, but beneath the surface is a deeper interest in memory, emotion and our connection to the people who made things thousands of years before us. You can find his work here: https://www.instagram.com/drewcainesceramics/

  • S3 · E55
    July 31 · 22 min

    Susie Kathol: A Canadian biologist and potter living in the Rocky Mountains.

    In this episode of Colour & Ceramics, Bob Acton @bobacton speaks with Susie Kathol, a ceramic artist, wildlife biologist, and botanist based in Revelstoke, BC. Susie brings her scientific knowledge and deep connection to the natural world into her ceramic practice, using sgraffito to carve images of plants and wildlife into the surfaces of her work. We talk about the relationship between science and art, learning ceramics within a supportive studio community, and how close observation of the natural world can find its way into clay. A lovely conversation about curiosity, nature, and developing an artistic practice alongside a life in science. Susie's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/susiekatholceramics/ Susie's Website: https://susiekatholceramics.ca/

  • S3 · E54
    July 17 · 33 min

    Surface Stories Collective: A Toronto Arts Councill-funded Project

    SPECIAL EDITION: In this episode of the Colour & Ceramics Podcast, we explore the Surface Stories Collective, https://surfacestoriescollective.lovable.app/, a Toronto-based initiative bringing non-ceramic artists from equity-deserving communities into the world of ceramic surface design. Through workshops, studio sessions, and a culminating exhibition at Gallery 1065 from July 24 to August 2, participants are expanding their creative practices, experimenting with clay, and building new connections across Toronto’s arts communities. It is an inspiring conversation with Natalie Waddell https://claygirl.ca and Christina Leslie https://www.christinaleslie.com/ about access, collaboration, and the possibilities that emerge when artists step into unfamiliar creative territory. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council. #ColourAndCeramics #SurfaceStoriesCollective #CeramicArt #TorontoArts #ContemporaryCraft

  • S3 · E53
    July 15 · 47 min

    Paul Smith: British Sculptor

    My guest today is British ceramic sculptor Paul Smith, who has worked full-time from his studio in North Derbyshire since 1998. Paul is known for his bold, semi-abstract animal sculptures, combining simplified forms with expressive, richly layered surfaces. Inspired by ancient sculpture and pottery, Inuit and folk art, and his lifelong fascination with the natural world, Paul is especially drawn to horses, cattle, wolves, bears, and big cats. His recent work uses layers of slips, engobes, oxides, and underglazes to create sculptures that feel like treasured objects, marked by age and history. Alongside his studio practice, Paul now teaches his distinctive hand-building methods through masterclasses in the UK and internationally. You can find him here on his website: https://paulsmithsculptures.co.uk/ and on his Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/paulsmithsculptures/

  • S3 · E52
    July 3 · 41 min

    Mary Fox: A Canadian Potter who loves teaching

    This week we're joined by Mary Fox, a self-taught BC potter who turned a lifetime of "learning at the school of hard knocks" into an acclaimed artistic career. Mary shares her journey from functional pottery to exploratory art, her approach to surface design and colour, and why she created the Legacy Project Apprentice Program — a rare two-year apprenticeship helping young Canadian potters become studio professionals. 🎧 Listen now! See her work and all about her apprentice program https://maryfoxpottery.ca/

  • S3 · E51
    May 13 · 34 min

    Kristine Zingelar: A Canadian interdisciplinary artist.

    In this episode, Bob Acton joined by interdisciplinary artist Kristine Zingeler. Kristine works across photography, collage, drawing, painting, and sculpture, creating subtle but powerful work that explores interconnectedness, time, and the constant state of change in both humanity and the natural world. Her practice begins with close observation and collecting, giving new significance to rocks, feathers, nests, insects, plants, and other overlooked fragments of the everyday. Her recent work moves beautifully between image and object, ancient and immediate, tiny and monumental. Listen in for a thoughtful conversation about attention, process, material, and the quiet power of noticing. You can find her work on her website at: https://www.kristine-zingeler.com/ and on her Instagram page at: https://www.instagram.com/kristinezingeler/

  • S3 · E50
    April 7 · 42 min

    Sarah Pike: A Canadian potter making exquisite slab-built, functional ware.

    This week on Colour and Ceramics, Bob Acton is joined by Sarah Pike, one of Canada’s top ceramic artists. Sarah is a full-time potter based in Fernie, British Columbia, where she makes functional slab-built pottery from her home studio. Her work carries a wonderful sense of movement and personality, shaped by the mountain landscape around her and inspired by antique tinware, textured metal, and old handmade objects. Sarah studied ceramics at ACAD in Calgary, and also studied at the University of Colorado and the University of Minnesota. It was a real pleasure to talk with her about clay, making, and the ideas that continue to shape her distinctive body of work. Find her website and Instagram page here: https://www.sarahpikepottery.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sarahpikepottery/

  • S3 · E49
    March 19 · 40 min

    Teresa Wyss: A Canadian small-batch functional potter in Alberta.

    In this episode of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics I @bobacton speak with Calgary potter Teresa Wyss @teresawysspottery about her striking functional ceramics, made with porcelain stoneware and decorated using hand-carved sgraffito. Inspired by wildlife, landscape, and the vivid colours of nature, her work has a bold, graphic presence that really stands out.We also talked about something many artists wrestle with: the business side of art making. From delegation to managing time and energy, Teresa shared thoughtful insights into what it takes to sustain a creative practice beyond the studio bench. See her work on her website at https://twpottery.ca and her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/teresawysspottery/

  • S3 · E48
    February 27 · 39 min

    Robbin Harris: A Canadian Crystalline Ceramic Artist

    Today on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, host Bob Acton shares his interview with Robbin Harris. Robbin Harris is a crystalline ceramic artist based in Calgary, Alberta, whose creative path reflects both resilience and reinvention. A former jazz musician, Robbin turned to clay after a life-changing accident ended his drumming career, discovering ceramics in 2017 under the mentorship of Dave Settles at Fairview Studios. His artistic direction shifted again in 2020 when he encountered crystalline glazes, a discovery that opened a deep exploration into their unpredictable beauty and technical complexity. Through a practice rooted in experimentation, Robbin creates work that balances cosmic imagery with organic decay, revealing the delicate tension between creation and destruction. Each firing becomes an act of discovery, inviting viewers into a conversation about fragility, transformation, and the unexpected beauty that emerges when control meets chance. You can find Robin here on his website https://robbinharrisceramics.com/ or on his Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/robbin.harris.ceramics/

  • S3 · E47
    February 4 · 40 min

    Heidi McKenzie: A Canadian Ceramic Sculptor who explores ancestry, migration, race and belonging.

    This week Bob Acton @bobacton joined by ceramic and installation artist Heidi McKenzie, whose work uses clay and image as archive—exploring ancestry, migration, race, and belonging through powerful abstract portraiture. From Reclaimed: Indo-Caribbean HerStories to the Indian Ceramics Triennale in Delhi, Heidi’s work reminds us that ceramics can hold memory, heal, and tell the stories history forgets. Check out her work at https://www.heidimckenzie.ca/

  • S3 · E46
    January 15 · 35 min

    Gillian Boon: A Canadian Potter & Prairie Mermaid

    I’m thrilled to welcome Gillian Boon to the podcast, an Alberta-based ceramic artist whose work carries the pulse of the ocean, even from the heart of the prairies. Inspired by coral reefs, tide pools, and the intense blues and greens of Grassi Lakes, Gillian’s ceramics explore movement, surface, and a deep sense of place. We talk about making ocean-driven work far from the sea, the role of teaching and community in a studio life, and how landscape leaves its mark on clay. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. #ColourAndCeramics #CanadianCeramics #CeramicArtists #OceanInspired #SurfaceAsNarrative #CalgaryArtists You can find her work at https://www.gillianmitchellceramics.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/gmitchellceramics/

  • S2 · E45
    Dec 30, 2025 · 38 min

    Maricelle Olivier: The Bushland Remembered: Landscape as Surface in Ceramics

    This week I’m @bobacton joined on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics by Australian ceramic artist Maricelle Olivier, whose work is deeply shaped by memory, landscape, and line. Drawing inspiration from South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a place tied to generations of family history, Maricelle meticulously draws and etches every line into her ceramic surfaces. The result is a layered, rhythmic abstraction of landscape and emotion, brought to life through colour. We talk about: • drawing as a way of remembering • surface as emotional terrain • translating childhood landscapes into contemporary ceramic language 🎙️ Now live on the Colour & Ceramics Podcast 🔗 Website Link: https://maricelleolivier.com/ 🔗 Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/molivier_ceramics/

  • S2 · E44
    Dec 16, 2025 · 52 min

    Shae Bishop: Ceramics, Textiles, and Curiosity-Driven Making

    Ceramic artist Shae Bishop joins me @bobacton on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics this week for a rich conversation about material, curiosity, and community. Shae’s practice moves between ceramics, textiles, and the body, shaped by residencies at places like the Archie Bray Foundation and Kohler Arts/Industry, and by years embedded in craft communities from North Carolina to Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and beyond. 🎙️ Now live on the Colour & Ceramics Podcast 🔗 Website Link https://www.shaebishop.com/ 🔗 Instagram Link https://www.instagram.com/shae_bishop/

  • S2 · E43
    Nov 27, 2025 · 46 min

    Reverend Jane Sheppard: A UK based ceramic artist

    Meet Jane Sheppard, a UK-based ceramic artist whose hand-built, smoke-fired vessels echo ancient artefacts and the sacred threads of human experience. Her award-winning work blends ritual, memory, and earth-rooted simplicity—inviting us to pause, feel, and reconnect. You can find Jane via her website here: https://www.janesheppard.me/ and her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/rev_jane_sheppard/

  • S2 · E42
    Nov 13, 2025 · 49 min

    Susan Trimble: An Australian Ceramic Artist

    Today, Bob Acton introduces us to South African–born ceramic artist Susan Trimble who creates joyful, nature-inspired work from her Brisbane studio. After a long career in graphic design, she discovered clay in 2020 and quickly developed a distinctive practice shaped by painting, mark-making, and mentorship under artist Jane du Rand. A 2024 solo exhibitor and finalist in the North Queensland Ceramic Awards, You can find her work at https://www.susantrimbleart.com.au/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/susantrimble.artist/

  • S2 · E41
    Nov 4, 2025 · 58 min

    Nichole Windblad - Head of Calgary Art Market

    Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Nicole Windblad, the creative force behind the Calgary Art Market. Nicole isn’t just curating a show; she’s shaping opportunities. As someone who runs one of the most respected art markets in Alberta, she understands what makes artists stand out, what helps them succeed, and yes—what can hold them back. She, and her family, have many years of experience operating this show so she has great wisdom for artists and makers of all sorts. In this conversation, you’ll hear what Nicole looks for when selecting artists, how she evaluates applications, and the do’s and don’ts every artist should know when they’re trying to secure a spot in a major show.

  • S2 · E40
    Oct 28, 2025 · 33 min

    Clay Meets Fashion: Emily Holmes from Los Angeles

    Today, Bob and Zana interview ceramic artist and designer Emily Holmes on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, who joins us from Los Angeles to talk about her practice of transforming familiar, textile-like forms into ceramic keepsakes. Emily’s background in Art Therapy at the Art Institute of Chicago shaped her early relationship with clay as a tool for healing, and later led her to open her studio full-time after relocating to LA. You can find out more about Emily at https://www.emilyholmesceramics.com/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/emilyholmesceramics/ And more about Bob at bobactonceramics.com and Zana at https://www.instagram.com/zanaoheart/

  • S2 · E39
    Oct 10, 2025 · 54 min

    Peter Beard: A UK-based ceramic sculptor

    Today's podcast introduces Peter Beard. Peter first discovered clay as a kid, and that early fascination never really left him. While studying industrial and furniture design at Ravensbourne College of Art in London, he found himself spending more and more time in the ceramics department. After graduating, he helped set up a pottery in Scotland making domestic stoneware, and not long after, opened his own studio in Kent where sculpture became his main focus. These days, Peter works from his studio in Leamington Spa, creating stoneware pieces that are both thrown and hand-built. He fires in oxidation to around 1280°C, building up layers of coloured clays and matte glazes, using wax resist and surface grinding to reveal these intricate, textured patterns underneath. He’s also worked in bronze and stone, and has been exhibiting his work since the mid-70s, both in Britain and internationally. What I love most about Peter’s approach is how design precision meets quiet emotion. Each piece feels carefully considered but deeply human. You can find his work on his website at https://peterbeard.co.uk/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/peterbeardceramics/

  • S2 · E38
    Sep 16, 2025 · 42 min

    Miae Kim: Korean born, London-based ceramic artist

    I’m excited to welcome Miae Kim—a London-based ceramic artist originally from South Korea. After a career in animation and VFX in L.A., she fell in love with clay at Glendale College and never looked back. Miae is known for two threads: sculptural pieces inspired by whales—symbols of wisdom and endurance—and work that blends Korean motifs and Hangul with Western aesthetics. She’s a 2024 London Potters award winner and a selected member of the Craft Potters Association. You can find her work on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/miae_kim_ceramics/ and on her website here: https://www.miaekimceramics.com/

  • S2 · E37
    Aug 28, 2025 · 49 min

    David Altmejd: Canadian Sculptor Making the Invisible Visible

    Today we’re stepping into the strange, beautiful world of Canadian sculptor David Altmejd. Born in Montreal in 1974 and now based in Los Angeles, David is obsessed with what makes a person a person—the body, yes, but also the mind, imagination, and whatever we mean by ‘soul.’ His figures often feel like they’re falling apart and coming together at the same time, opening little doorways into places beyond what we normally recognize. What blows me away is his materials list: clay and foam next to mirror, quartz, resin, and even human and synthetic hair. He’s just as comfortable casting as he is building through intuitive, almost scavenger-style making—so every piece feels singular, even when it echoes another. Scale doesn’t scare him either: he brings the same intensity to a room-sized environment as he does to a small bust, packing surfaces with tiny inventions that reward long looking. David has shown all over the world—most recently at the McMichael in Ontario—and he represented Canada at the Venice Biennale back in 2007. His work lives in major collections like the Whitney, the Guggenheim, MOCA Los Angeles, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. You can find his work on his Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/daltmejd/ and his website at https://www.davidaltmejd.net.

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes