The Full Story
Lindsey is someone who has always admired the arts and creativity but never really had an outlet outside of the usual home decorating and gardening. In school she enjoyed art but didn't pursue it preferring home economics to learn more practical skills for later life. Once in the workplace she quickly developed a talent for IT when the computer was starting to become key for day-to-day activities in the office. This led to a role within a software company in Wigan and then a move to the big smoke for an opportunity with a larger software company in London. Moving back to near Wigan in 2004 she began a working from home routine long before it became the norm. Her creative outlets were very much focused on gardening and interior design of her house that needed renovation and extension. However, there was always a plan to quit the corporate world and do something different before it was too late.
Having always enjoyed watching The Great Pottery Throw Down, her curiosity to play with clay was peaked when her neighbour, Nichola moved in across the road and revealed she did pottery for a living. There was much admiration of her work and a request for a session with our neighbour friends as a birthday celebration which became an annual event and very quickly became known as "Pissed Potting"! Our first attempts were pretty poor mainly due to the effects of prosecco, but it lit a spark that led to more ambitious projects at the subsequent gatherings, a yarn bowl and a wall planter were the 2nd and 3rd projects. After 30 plus years of corporate IT Lindsey enacted her early retirement plan and finished work in May 2025. She signed up for formal classes at the pottery studio Nichola was now running nearby (https://www.phoenixpotteryandartstudio.com/). Completion of a 6 week beginners and further 6 week improvers course then led to the purchase of a starter kit from Amazon and some clay to play with a home.
Fast forward 12 months and there is now a pottery wheel in the garage, the old corporate IT desk has been converted into a pottery workbench where hand building and glazing is done and she is a fully signed up member of her friend's pottery studio. Very early in her pottery journey Lindsey discovered the joys of pottery via YouTube where lots of super talented people chose to share their skills and knowledge for the benefit of others. The excitement of a kiln unload and seeing what glaze layering outcomes the kiln gods have decreed is addictive and has led to an unhealthy and expensive glaze collection. It does of course mean that she hasn't yet settled on one particular style of glazing and is unsure she ever will but there are definitely favourites amongst the more successful outcomes she has had so far.
The future plans are to keep focusing on creating beautiful and functional pieces whilst striving to throw bigger amounts of clay which could become lamp bases and other home items. They say its never too late to learn and Lindsey's journey is proof that is true, the joy of learning a new skill even a little later in life is all the more satisfying!