Paula Balint

Paula BalintPau Pottery Studio FounderCeramic art came into my life when I had little headspace left in my mind for anything but juggling a busy and hectic job as a primary school teacher with a family life and its commitments. I have tried a pottery taster session with my daughter at the lovely Ceramic Studio in Brenchley, Kent to celebrate the start of the summer holiday of 2023. I was instantly hooked and therefore I booked an extra full week at the same studio of full days of making ceramics on the potter’s wheel with Richard Phtean. That was it! That week I knew I have found my new direction in life. Making ceramics for me was the equivalent of finding yourself and discovering your true purpose and so I decided to develop further.So, I quit my teaching job and went on a three months long intensive ceramic course at La Meridiana International School of Ceramics in Italy, where I trained under the amazing ceramic artist, Sandy Lockwood. She gave me guidance and support and helped me shape and define what pottery means to me. During this time in Italy, I have made great friends with like-minded people who came there like me, as a step in their pottery journey and who still follow on their unique ceramic path. Pottery can mean so many different things to different people but the common denominator for most people is the way it makes you feel. Pottery can take you into a meditative, spiritual and deep emotional state of wellbeing.On my return, I decided to open my own studio and combine my teaching skills with my pottery skills to offer more people the chance to experience this ancient art of ceramic making that can bring a busy mind to a standstill and offer peace and tranquillity and pride in creating art and functional ware with only mud and water. So, here I am, spreading the love of pottery.