A&M Potters CIC

Who We Are and Where We Come From?

A&M Potters started with Ann teaching Matt ceramics and the rest as they say is history.

Based in the small Fenland market town of Ramsey, Ann and Matt produce fun and quirky ceramics, taking inspiration from nature and the local East Anglian Environment.

Working predominantly in stoneware and crank, the pieces range from small to medium-sized, for internal and external exhibition.

Ann – I was introduced to pottery at the age of 19, whilst at college training to be a teacher. I really took to working clay and have had a passion for this medium ever since.

My late husband, Bill, admired my work and often suggested that I take it up professionally, but at that age my lack of confidence meant that I did not pursue it any further. Some years later I had the opportunity to teach art at a local secondary school which had an active ceramics department. Every child in years 7-9 had a chance to work with clay and older students often used it as their preferred medium for exam work. This is really where my love ceramics and my passion for teaching its techniques were born.

On retiring I treated myself to a hobby kiln (a very important piece of information for any A&M Student), but only engaged in pottery sporadically. It was not until I was asked to exhibit at the Ramsey Craft Market that I realised that people liked my pieces and then there was no looking back.

I met Matthew when he came to me to study pottery as a healing process after battling with illness and we seem to form a natural bond, whilst teaching and creating I am looking forward to what the future holds. As if you had said to me 5 years ago, after retiring you will become the Director of your own business and guide that business through a global pandemic, I would never have believed you. Yet here I am with work in galleries and classes of eager student hungry to learn. I just wish Bill were here to see me now.

Matt – I came to ceramics about 3 years ago, as a kind of therapy to help cope with the anxiety and depression I was suffering after becoming seriously ill with SEPSIS. The therapeutic effect of clay and Ann’s amazing teaching qualities enabled me to ground, refocus and basically changed my life. My family, Ann and the ceramics brought me back from a very dark place, I now hope to use my experience to help others know ‘its ok not to be okay’ and to bring the joy of pottery to all ages and abilities in my local fenland community and beyond.

I am excited and proud to be the co-founder of A&M Potters and hope that my work reflects this. Who knew that the those once-a-week classes with Mr. Griffin, at Ramsey Ailwyn, would lead me here, well with a lot of guidance from Ann.