Judith Annakie-Eriksen
Ceramic artist and pottery tutor

Although I trained as a linguist, I have always been a creative person. Over the years, as a pastime, I have painted artwork, sewn my own clothes and soft furnishings, and made embroidery, but ceramics have really captured my heart. 

My love affair with ceramics began in the late 1990s after receiving a unique and intriguing vase as a gift from a friend. At the time I was living and working in South Africa. The accompanying postcard promoting pottery classes with Kim Sacks caught my eye. Before long, I had signed up for my first lesson at Kim's studio in Johannesburg. Later, I joined Loren Kaplan's Ceramics School. 
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Following retirement from a successful career in communications and public relations for various companies in the UK and South Africa, I returned to the UK in 2019 and am now following my dream of becoming a working artist. I now devote all my time to making ceramics and developing my story and signature, as well as honing my skills.
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My finished work can be categorised as functional art in the form of upmarket tableware. My aesthetic is influenced by the organic and simple forms found in Scandinavian design, the repetitive patterns applied to African textiles and modern jewellery design. 
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For me, making ceramics is filled with a rollercoaster of emotions, from the stillness of building, the anticipation of glazing, the anxiety during the firing, and to the delight (and relief)  when faced with an intact and beautiful ceramic creation. 

I can be found at Peacock Pottery Barn in Billericay two days per week teaching at the potter's wheel. Since 2020, I have been a member of the Anglian Potters' association.
 
 
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