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Pots to inspire people and places
Judith Hobbs creates beautiful, striking and unique pottery that both enlivens and blends with its environment.
This work is for people looking for unusual and innovative design in their gardens, conservatories or homes.
Each pot is different although Judith follows broad themes and shapes, and the exact decoration is always linked to the curve of each newly made pot.
Shows and Exhibitions 2010
Judith is delighted to be exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show for her fifth consecutive year. You may have caught sight of Judith during the BBC's 2009 coverage when Liza Tarbuck fell in love with her ceramic lizards. Judith is also exhibiting at Hampton Court this year. For more details of shows past and present, please see below.
Chelsea Flower Show 25-29 May 2010
25-29 May 2009. Stand Number RM/26.
Visit the RHS Chelsea websiteHampton Court Flower Show 6-11 July 2010
6-11 July 2010. Stand Number A/34.
Visit the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show websitePrevious Shows and Exhibitions
Below you'll find details of some of the shows and exhibitions where Judith has exhibited in previous years.
Chelsea Flower Show 19-23 May 2009
19-23 May 2009. Stand Number RM/33.
You may have seen Judith's stand on the BBC coverage of the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show, when Liza Tarbuck's eye was caught by the wall of ceramic gecko lizards. One happy celebrity customer! There are pictures of similar lizards in the gallery.
Visit the RHS Chelsea websiteHampton Court Flower Show 7-12 July 2009
7-12 July 2009. Stand Number A/32.
Visit the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show websiteChelsea Flower Show 20-24 May 2008
20-24 May. Stand Number RS/11. Judith was delighted to have received a commendation for her 2008 stand.
Visit the RHS Chelsea websiteNational Amateur Gardening Show 5–7 Sept 2008
At the Bath & West showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
More detailsChelsea Flower Show 22-26 May 2007
22-26 May (22 & 23 RHS Members only). Stand Number RS/11.
Visit the RHS Chelsea websiteArt in Clay 3-5 August 2007
13th National Pottery and Ceramics Festival at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire.
Visit the Art in Clay websiteChelsea Flower Show 23-27 May 2006
23-27 May (23 & 24 RHS Members only). Stand Number RS/11.
Visit the 2006 RHS Chelsea websiteTatton Park Flower Show
19-23 July (19 RHS privilege day). Stand Number D/54.
10th Southern Pottery and Ceramics Show
18-19 November 2006, The Maltings, Farnham, Surrey
Visit the Art in Clay websiteAbout Judith
Judith has followed her passion for working with clay for over 25 years. She originally trained as a teacher and then as a potter on the Harrow Studio Pottery course in 1983.
Since then she has worked as a pottery technician and manager and has been running her own business since 1995.
During this time she has applied her skills in many directions. She has worked teaching pottery in a Young Offenders Institution; she has helped groups of pupils to create both indoor and outdoor installations, (including decorative fountains, a phoenix mosaic and life size figures dancing across walls); she has made domestic and decorative pottery that has been sold through various galleries. She is also a trained mediator and has worked with neighbour disputes and has assisted in training new mediators. Her largest ceramic piece was helping to build an adobe (mixed clay and soil) house in the desert.
Judith has always looked for development and change in her work. Her current pots show her enjoyment for the interplay of strong clear lines and edges and she is experimenting with this interaction to create pots that 'own' their space.
Technical information
For details of each individual pot please click a thumbnail, for more information about how they are made, please see below.
The blue and white pots are made with a stoneware clay.
All of the pots Judith makes are unique. The techniques involved in building a pot by hand, along with the natural variations in the materials and the glazing and firing processes mean that no two are ever exactly alike. With the large ones Judith throws the base of the pot on a wheel and then coil onto the base. This involves adding coils of clay at intervals over several days. The pots take several weeks to make, they are then decorated using coloured liquid clay called slip. They are left for 2-3 weeks to dry before being biscuit fired in a kiln to a temperature of 1080°C. The pots are then covered in liquid glaze and fired for a second time to 1260°C.
The smaller ones are made by joining slabs of clay together to form the shape, before being decorated and fired as described above.
The red and black pots are made from red clay (terracotta) and the making process is identical to above except that they are only fired once to a temperature of 1160°C.
All of the pots are very robust and should be unaffected by cold weather.
All of the lizards are made individually. Judith uses a mould to make the bodies and feet and then adds the tail and head separately. She then either leaves the lizard as a free standing one or adds it to a pot.
The smaller pots with lizards are made by rolling out sheets of clay, then cutting and joining the pieces, texturing the surface then attaching the lizard. This then dries for about a week before being fired.
Lizard on diamond top pot
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 20cm x 20cm, 27cm high
Code: L2 Price: £55
Blue/white cheques on sphere
Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 38cm dia
Code: BU12 Price: £950
Terracotta balloon
Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 40cm dia, 48cm high
Code: T1 Price: £650
Blue/white grids on tulip shape pot
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 32cm dia, 38cm high
Code: BU3 Price: £850
Terracotta art deco planter
Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 35cm dia, 41cm high
Code: T2 Price: £600
Black/white rectangular block pattern
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 28cm dia, 43cm high
Code: BL4 Price: £650
Lizard on square pot
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Medium: 25cm wide, 21cm high
Code: L6 Price: £55
Small: 18cm wide, 12cm high
Code: L7 Price: £30
Terracotta herb pot
Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 38cm dia, 62cm high
Code: T4 Price: £800
Blue/white zig-zag pattern
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 25cm dia, 34cm high
Code: BU7 Price: £550
Blue/white intersecting v's on balloon
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 25cm dia, 30cm high
Code: BU9 Price: £550
Terracotta zig-zags on spherical pot
Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 37cm dia, 35cm high
Code: T3a Price: £550
Geometric slab pots
Available in blue/white, red/black and grey/white
Frost-resistant.
28cm x 24cm £50
18cm x 14cm £35
14cm x 10cm £25
9cm x 9cm £15
Code: SL
Blue/white stalactites on planter
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 33cm dia, 48cm high
Code: BU5 Price: £950
Black/white checks on tulip shape pot
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 37cm dia, 51cm high
Code: BL1 Price: £700
Black/white random patterns tall pot
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 28cm dia, 60cm high
Code: BL2 Price: £900
Black/white pitcher pot
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 42cm high
Code: BL3 Price: £500
Blue/white pitcher pot
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 45cm high
Code: BU6 Price: £500
Terracotta checks on bowl
Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 39cm dia, 28cm high
Code: T5 Price: £400
Lizard on tulip shape pot
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 32cm dia, 34cm high
Code: L1 Price: £220
Large trough with two lizards
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 23cm wide, 45cm long, 18cm high
Code: L5 Price: £100
Blue/white deep v's on circular form
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 29cm dia, 32cm high
Code: BU8 Price: £550
Lizard on small diamond top pot
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 16cm x 16cm, 20cm high
Code: L3 Price: £45
Blue/white stripes on bowl
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 36cm dia, 28cm high
Code: BU11 Price: £650
Wall Lizards
The lizards are individually made in a range of colours and come in two sizes, 20cm and 30cm approx (with the exception of the terracotta one which is only available in the smaller size). All lizards have a keyhole on the underside for easy hanging on a flat surface and are frost-resistant.
Plain: Small £45, Large £55
Glazed: Small £50, Large £60
Terracotta: Plain £45, Glazed £50
Lizards can be safely packaged and posted at an extra cost of £11 each (mainland UK). Please contact me for more information.
Lizard on triangular pot
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 33cm sides, 13cm high
Code: L4 Price: £55
Black/white with diamond decoration
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 40cm dia, 35cm high
Code: BL6 Price: £850
Red/black with diamond decoration
Terracotta. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 40cm dia, 30cm high
Code: T7 Price: £400
Tall black/white
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 35cm dia, 60cm high
Code: BL5 Price: £1,100
Tall blue/white with diagonal stripes
Stoneware. Frost-resistant.
Approx dimensions: 35cm dia, 60cm high
Code: BU13 Price: £1,100
Portfolio
These images show a selection of previous work and show the pots in a variety of planting to give an idea of how the pots can be used in the context of a garden. The pots shown are not for sale.
If you would like something similar you could contact Judith about a commission via email.
Buying a pot
Pots featured in the 'Gallery' section are available for sale. To buy a pot from the 'Gallery' please contact Judith via email.
Pots in the 'Portfolio' section show examples of previous work in their garden locations.
You can also visit an exhibition, show or gallery at which Judith's work is being shown (see the 'Shows and Exhibitions' section for more details).
Commissioning a pot
If you prefer you can commission a pot by contacting Judith. She will discuss with you your requirements for size, shape, colour, design and intended location.
From this conversation Judith will produce a working sketch and a price. If you wish to progress from this point she will need a 25% deposit before starting the piece. On completion of the item you will be invoiced for the remaining amount.
Delivery and shipping
UK deliveries are normally carried out by a reliable local courier and costs will vary according to distance. Although an approximate figure within the UK is about £55.
Customers are welcome to make an appointment to collect their pots if they prefer.
Worldwide shipping is also available through our agent.
Useful links
You might find these other websites useful.
Contact Judith
If you would like to place an order, commission a pot or would like more information, please feel free to get in touch.
3 Howard Road Southville Bristol BS3 1QH
Telephone 0117 966 2140
or email pots[at]judithhobbs.com
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