Claire Molloy specialises in horsehair and smoke fired ceramics. She is influenced by the Irish rural environment and likes to create simple natural looking forms with subtle colours and textures. Her love of horses directly influences her horsehair pottery. She uses hair from her horse’s manes and tails to embellish the vessels.
She also uses wood shavings, straw and hay to create her smoke-fired pots, all materials which are used to care for her horses. Claire also creates individual pots for horse owners, where each pot is decorated with hair from a particular horse to create a unique memento.
Jerpoint Glass Thomastown
(15 mins. away) is a family established in 1979 in the heart of the Kilkenny countryside where each piece is hand produced by skilled craftsmen. There is a viewing area from where you can watch glassblowers in action and a shop which sells a wide range of glass products (including seconds). Complimentary products include woollen blankets, candles, jewellery and baby gifts. Art exhibitions also take place throughout the year.
Clay Creations in Thomastown has ceramic pieces individually designed and sculpted. Each sculptural piece is unique and original and all are hand thrown and finished. Inspired by closeness between Art and Nature, these pieces have been developed to have an almost cartoon like life and are not always anatomically correct. The sculptural works are imaginative in form with vibrant glazes, creating a unique character for each piece. A visit is a must for every ceramic enthusiast.
Nicholas Mosse Bennetsbridge (20 mins away) a flavour of country living to be found throughout the range of pottery (new & seconds), candles, lamps and textiles in all shapes and sizes. Beautiful location and cafe add to this experience in the rural heartlands of Kilkenny. You can even watch the potters at work.
Stone carver Aileen-Anne Brannigan works with locally quarried Kilkenny Limestone & Black Marble, creating individual sculptures, commemorative pieces and carved stone bowls at her workshop in Castlecomer. Each piece is custom made and will often include her unique style of hand carved lettering.
Karen Morgan Porcelain Jerpoint Church Thomastown (15 mins away) pieces handmade with passion & creativity by this award winning designer. This bright showroom adjoins her studio. Her highly functional wares always maintain their sculptural roots which is what makes them so special. This designer combines ergonomic function with sculpture.
Since 1999 Moth to a Flame have been making a range of distinctive hand-made candles beside the River Nore in Bennettsbridge. Silkmoth scented, Glow-globe, Rock candles and more can be seen in production and in the studio shop where visitors always welcome. Moth to a Flame Candles also offer a tailor-made service to private clients.
Rosemarie Durr creates exquisite hand thrown stoneware tableware which is more reminiscent of china than pottery.
The soft hues of Rosemarie Durr Pottery are subtle, yet distinctive and fit into every home and lifestyle. Rosemarie’s exquisite hand thrown stoneware is available from her beautiful interior giftware shop and studio which she shares with her husband, Andrew Ludick in the gorgeous setting of Castlecomer Discovery Park.
Duncan Russell Furniture is located outside Paulstown in County Kilkenny and specialises in producing commissioned, one-off pieces of furniture.
Craftsman Duncan Russell's signature is his uniquely curvaceous furniture, often asymmetrical yet balanced, creating a focal point in any room. When commissioning a piece, Duncan designs to the specific needs of his clients. He creates any form of freestanding furniture, mainly in European hardwoods and primarily oak. Duncan regularly collaborates with fellow artists and will incorporate their elements in to the design of a piece.
The Waterford Crystal factory tour gives an up close insight into the centuries old tradition of Waterford Crystal making.
Feel the heat of the furnace and marvel at the skills of the craftsmen. The factory tour includes the following traditional production areas; wooden mould making,
crystal blowing and furnace, crystal
cutting, crystal sculpting, engraving and design inspiration. The lavish onsite retail store houses the largest collection of Waterford Crystal found anywhere in the world.An exhibition of sporting trophies and statement pieces is an absolute must see attraction. Adjacent car parking is also available.
Since 1993, Ray Power has been working from his studio in Kilkenny's famous Castle Yard. There, in the shadow of St. Johns Castle, you can enjoy browsing amongst the beautiful hand-thrown pottery in the charming shop and see the pottery being made and decorated in the adjoining workshop. Each piece is made in small production batches on the potter's wheel, allowing great attention be paid to decorative details such as handles, sprigs and the fluent slip- trailed decoration with embossed surfaces.
Jars of Clay offer a wide variety of Irish hand-crafted ceramics; functional and sculptural work. All pieces are designed and handmade in stoneware by Sonja Guenther in Co. Kilkenny. We aim to provide high-quality products at affordable prices. The ranges include everything from tableware, semi- functional and highly decorative dishes and vases to sculptural and ornamental one-off artistic pieces. With so many different styles to choose from, you will find the ideal gift for any occasion. And if you are looking for a more personalised gift, commissions are always welcome.
Andrew Ludick's work has slowly evolved towards forms which illustrate the natural properties of clay and the processes he use to create them. The building of these forms involves coiling and pinching the clay to create vases, bowls and various other shapes. The slow process of coil building and the meditative aspects of pinching the clay take him into a space that allows a natural progression to happen where the form seems to build itself. The act of building with coils is a very organic way of growth.
Form and surface decoration have always been the focus of Caroline Dolan's work. Her newest creations demonstrate this again with an obvious delight in the use of colour. Her sculptural forms are full of joyful energy and character while functional tableware is designed to bring light and colour into our lives. Meet Caroline and see the full range of her work at The Bridge Pottery.
At BAURNAFEA CERAMICS Klaus Hartmann produces a wide range of pottery, functional ware for use in the kitchen and garden as well as purely decorative pieces. Most pots are thrown on the wheel, then altered, turned and handled. After glazing and decorating, the work is either fired in an electric or woodfired kiln.
Klaus sells his ceramics at markets, fairs and exhibitions and from his studio.
