Annadale Brickworks is a Belfast ceramics studio established by Clive Fiddis. The name derives from an old brickworks near to Clive's studio in the centre of Belfast. Having loved, made and taught ceramics in Ireland and Finland for 30 years, Clive is a master in his chosen craft. Simplicity of function and a passion for skillful making and craftsmanship are essential elements in all the work. Clive was kind enough to let us ask him a few questions about his making process.

 

Tell us a bit about what you make.

I make thrown functional pots. I'm very focused on the skillful making and material and firing process, simple form and function.

Could you describe your studio to us? What is your favourite thing about the space?
The studio is only a few years old, its very much an urban space in Belfast, it has two floors, a kiln room and is a very open plan flexible space with lovely light. I love its urban feel and the light quality.

How do you get into the mindset of making?
I tend to make in batches and like the rhythm of making, glazing and firing. There's always things to do in a studio, glaze and colour tests, tools, new work ideas.

What is your favourite tool and why? 
I make my own tools if I can, my favourite is the knife I made out of a second hand buy.

 
Can you describe your making process to us? 
I throw nearly all of the pots on the wheel, usually in batches, using a simple stoneware clay. Pots are dried slowly, bases turned, handles attached and finished before firing. The pots are fired twice, glaze fired in a gas kiln at stoneware temperatures.
What is your inspiration?
Cultures of Japan and the near and far East are just amazing!
What led you to choose this craft as a profession? What do you love most about it?
I've been making and teaching ceramics for a long time, its allowed me to travel and work, so its more a way of life for me, always learning mostly by mistakes.   

How do your surroundings affect your work?
I'm an urban potter. The studio is very private and quiet which is very conducive to work, but the hustle and bustle of the city is close by. 

What is your favourite piece?
I have pieces that I collected travelling in Japan, Egypt, Iran, Finland and Spain. I love using them in the kitchen, beautiful and functional.
 

We stock a range of beautiful mugs, bowls and dishes by Annadale Brickworks. Clive's beautiful tableware is suitable for the dishwasher, microwave freezer and oven. 

Clare based artist Sorrell Reilly creates bright, illustrative landscapes of the Irish countryside, starting off life as delicate lino prints and later digitized to add vivid colour. We asked Sorrell a few questions about her beautiful artwork and the process behind it.

Tell us a bit about what you make.
I make print artwork of the Irish landscape. I strive to make work that speaks to my soul, brings me joy and has personal meaning and connection with a certain place and time. 

Could you describe your studio to us? What is your favourite thing about the space? 
Myself and my husband have recently moved into a little cottage by the sea in Clare. We’ve made one of the rooms into a workroom and I love it! 

I lived in Cork city for years and lived in some pokey flats, not big enough to swing a mouse! So coming out to the coast and having my own space with things around me that inspire me has been liberating. I’m so grateful for where we live. My favourite thing is hearing the seagulls and the waves while I work. In the summer I can take my work outside and I feel pretty darn jammy!

How do you get into the mindset of making?
I have to connect to my subject to get into the mindset of making. Often when I travel I use that time to self reflect and associate the place with a poem or song. And then later I revisit the words or music to get back to what I was experiencing. Music has a powerful way to travel you back to past feelings and to get into a creative head space.

What is your favourite tool and why?
Pfeil Lino cutting tools, my magic weapon. I know they say a poor workwoman blames her tools, but I think a good tool can shorten the distance between the artist and the art. And of course it can also make you feel like the business. I remember when I was a child I learned the piano but only had a keyboard to practice and then one day my parents bought me a beautiful upright piano. I adored it and couldn’t wait to wake up everyday to play. That’s what Pfeil cutting tools are like for me.

Can you describe your making process to us?
To start with I always draw a number of rough sketches to find a composition that I am happy with. After this, I try to find ways to add more design elements and motifs that I can use throughout the piece. This is often patterns and textures derived from plants, flowers, rocks etc. Once I am happy with the design I clean up the sketch and transfer to Lino. I then cut the Lino, ink and print it and leave to dry which usually takes about three days. Once the print is dry I do a high resolution scan and bring the design into Adobe Photoshop. I then mask and edit the colours digitally ready for the final print. 

What is your inspiration?
Nature has been a medicine and a constant inspiration for me. It has the ability to lift you out of your head where you can view life from new perspectives. Also, the more time I spend observing my surroundings, the beauty of the landscape and the flowers and colours around me the more I get the impulse to create. 

Moylussa - Killaloe print by Sorrell Reilly.

What led you to choose this craft as a profession? What do you love most about it? 
I have thought about this question before and I think that printmaking chose me rather than the other way round. 

To give you a bit of background, I have Endometriosis and Adenomyosis, both of which took years to get properly diagnosed. It was a difficult time and normal everyday life could at times be exhausting. I often felt I was at the mercy of my illness. Then in 2017 while I was studying illustration I had radical surgery in the UK that helped to dramatically reduce my symptoms. After my studies I started working with my husband who is an animator, designing and illustrating marketing animation for start-ups, non-profits etc. But the work can be frenetic and deadline-driven and ultimately I found that type of work didn’t feed my soul. Also, I think even though my illness was under control I needed time to heal in other ways.

I had studied printmaking for a short time in college where I made etchings, transfers and of course Lino prints and was immediately drawn to the whole process. I think printmakers are careful artists. For example, a painter friend of mine paints huge canvases with sweeping brush strokes and is very loose in his approach. Print making, on the other hand, doesn’t allow that level of freedom. Ideas are explored and worked out before ever committing them to paper, and this slow deliberate process lends itself to my sensibilities and introspective nature. 

By far the thing I love the most about my work is when people connect with it and make it their own. I am always fascinated with how people see my work, there are so many stories and memories associated with the landscape and I love that my work can reflect parts of who we are.

How do your surroundings affect your work?
The beauty of the Clare landscape with the Atlantic coastline at my doorstep is a constant reminding voice to be creative. You have only to take a walk along the shore, especially in the evening with the stunning sunsets to be compelled by nature to make. Also, I work together with my husband and having another creative person to bounce ideas off is really helpful. It a great way to hone ideas and try out concepts, he’s also my 24hr tech support!

What is your favourite piece?
I think my favourite piece is probably my print of Nohoval Cove in County Cork called ‘I am Outside, I am Breathing’. (pictured above)

The Sea Remembers and Sings Back print by Sorrell Reilly.

We stock Sorrell's work both in-store and online, which you can check out here. 

 

Located in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Article stock contemporary homewares and gifts by Irish designers, as well as all the beautiful stationary you could ever long for. We find it fascinating that Article is located in Lord Powerscourt's former dressing room with its spectacular original plasterwork ceiling dating from 1780 too!

Just around the corner in the Westbury Mall is Stable, an independent brand showcasing the best in Irish textiles and clothing. They are particularly passionate about wool and tweed and work closely with Irish knitters, weavers and craft makers to produce high-quality textiles. Their gorgeous shop is a great place to explore a variety of scarves and accessories to wear and for the home, in different designs, patterns, shapes and sizes.

Designist focus on products being beautiful, useful and affordable. A design led gift and homeware store, we love just how much they collaborate with designers and crafts people, lots of which are Dublin based. They also have quite the collection of of brilliant greeting cards from local artists and designers.

Previously our neighbours just around the corner, Hen’s Teeth have since moved to a bigger and swankier store and studio in Blackpitts, Dublin 8. This very cool shop sells prints, brooks and ceramics, and hosts some great workshops and markets featuring other local makers and artists. Their new set up also has a diner serving some great bites to eat and fab coffee. Great vibes in here.

Located in Temple Bar, Scout is a gorgeous lifestyle shop with selections of homeware, knitwear, accessories and top-notch hand picked vintage finds. Those well versed in the Dublin fashion scene will remember the owner Wendy Crawford from from the fab Bow, the shop she ran on a co-op basis in the Powerscourt Centre with Eilis Boyle and Margaret O’Rourke.  

Just up the road from us is Fresh Cuts, a sustainable clothing shop using clean and simple designs. We love that all their labelling, printing and finishing is done right here in Dublin too. Big ups for ethical fashion!

Right on Essex Street in Temple Bar, Indigo and Cloth are a modern and minimalist boutique stocking the best in both Irish and international independent menswear. They also host a Brewbar in tandem with local coffee and tea experts Clement and Pekoe. 

We love seeing the bright and cheery vivid pink shopfront of Om Diva each morning. This boutique sells vintage clothing, jewellery and homewares, as well as contemporary pieces by local artists. We love the diversity and creativity here from emerging Irish talent. They also host workshops and stock beautiful pieces by two Dublin makers This Jewellery, one of which we share a studio with!

And of course our neighbours, Industry & Co, who specialise in Irish and International design orientated gifts, lighting, and homewares. They also host a fab in store cafe and deli with great coffee.

Handmade in small batches in the Sileveardagh Hills in Tipperary, we're big fans of the beautifully scented candles Tinnock Farm creates using 100% soy wax, cotton wicks, and a range of all-natural oils. Each are hand-poured, vegan and have a burn time of roughly 75 hours, as well as being free from paraffin, palm oil and dyes.

Tinnock Farm put an emphasis on sustainability within both their craft as well as their day to day lifestyle. They use no unnecessary packaging, and their small-holding includes an area of hazel coppice, vegetable gardens, a young orchard, streams and paddocks. They aim to be fully self-sufficient, growing much of their own food and reducing waste where possible. Tinnock is also a habitat to a range of native Irish flora and fauna including long-eared bats, red squirrels, pine martins, primroses, bluebells and cowslips to name just a few.

We always have a Tinnock Farm candle burning in our Drury Street, especially their festive Winter Spice to keep us cosy during cold winter days! We asked Kristen Ivors from Tinnock a few questions to learn more about their craft, their process and what inspires them day today. You can check out more of their handmade candles here. 

Tell us a bit about what you make.

I make soy wax candles and cold process soap with a focus on quality and simplicity, as well as being zero waste and free from plastic. 

Could you describe your studio to us? What is your favourite thing about the space?

I work from an old stable attached to our farmhouse. I love that everything is at my fingertips, I can see across the yard and have lots of room to work! My husband made me a concrete work bench which is the perfect surface for candle making, and all of my work happens on top of that. 

How do you get into the mindset of making?

I love walking into my studio in the morning with a cup of coffee, putting on some music, and starting my work. My dog Woody is my studio companion and he always at my feet while I am mixing or boxing up orders!

What is your favourite tool and why?

My favourite tool is an old jam thermometer that is just great at giving temperatures and stirring wax!

Can you describe your making process to us?

Candle and soap making is all about numbers, temperatures, and a lot of gentle stirring! To start a batch of candles, I melt soy wax flakes in a large boiler and add a touch of coconut wax. After heating the waxes, I mix and stir in my scents, either essential oils, or a combination or essential and fragrance oils, until they are fully incorporated before pouring into jars. When the candles have set, I lid and label them, and they are cured for a few weeks.

What is your inspiration?

Our farm, nature and my gardens as well as the peace that surrounds me everyday. I would love to give everyone a bit of that feeling of calmness when they are lighting their candle!

What led you to choose this craft as a profession? What do you love most about it?

I have always made my own candles and the business grew after some people wanted to buy them. I love how much freedom this craft gives. I spend half of my day making candles and soap, and the other half in the vegetable garden, chopping wood, or checking up on our animals. It gives me the time to be able to run a business but also further our goal of becoming self sufficient. 

What is your favourite candle you've created? 

My favourite scent changes with the seasons and moods, but you really can’t beat a good lavender candle!

 We stock a range of Tinnock Farms handmade candles both in store and online.