Olley Pottery - Simon Olley

Simon Olley began his journey on the wheel at Chipstead Craft Studios near Sevenoaks under the guidance of Tessa Oates when he was nine years old. The early experience sparked a lifelong fascination with ceramic art that led him to experiment with every type of clay and a wide range of glazes, yet it was his love of illustration that brought him back to the wheel in search of new ways to express himself. He developed a signature style that combines underglazes, colour slips, oxides and the delicate scratching of sgraffito at the leather‑hard stage, producing pieces that are both visually striking and technically refined.

The bond between humans and their canine companions lies at the heart of Olley's practice. By weaving illustration and sgraffito into each commission he creates distinctive artworks that honour his clients’ pets while also reflecting stories from his own past dogs, preserving their lives in ceramic form. Olley continues to produce a wide range of vases, jugs, sculptures and urns for customers across the globe.

Olley's technical process begins on the potter’s wheel, where he throws forms from earthenware or stoneware clays coated in creamy‑white slip. Illustration is applied while the clay remains leather‑hard, using a combination of underglazes, colour slips, oxides and small tools to carve fine sgraffito lines into the surface. The pieces are then fired two or three times, resulting in impervious works that last for years.