HMM, *Lustrous Sea Waves Dish*, author’s collection [I did not realise at the time that Meinhold-Morgan named her pieces, so for the moment this is my n name for it, based on HMM’s style]; photo by author

Thus far my missives have concentrated on 2-D images - paintings, digital art, woodblock prints. Until I met Hannelore Meinhold-Morgan whose ceramics are some of the most beautiful objects I have seen outside a museum.

Meinhold-Morgan says that ceramics are like poetry and music, only she composes in pots.

I came across her work during the Oxfordshire Artweeks which this year ran in the first two weeks of May. The image printed in the Artweeks catalogue called out to me, and my husband agreed to make a detour from our weekend in the countryside to visit Boot Barn Pottery in Stonesfield, Witney, under the strict and reasonable directive that space in our 3-D world is finite and that we will not expand our already sizeable collection of art. What greeted us there was so extraordinary that reason flew out the window and beautiful fantasies in clay flew into our collection and our hearts.

HMM, *Teapot, stained glass motif* (this is the cover image that caught my attention in this year’s Oxfordshire Artweeks catalogue); photo (c) Hannelore Meinhold-Morgan

The artist - a beautiful woman in her later years, walking laboriously with a cane - greeted us with a contagious smile and eyes full of intelligence and life. Beneath the fragile exterior the inner strength of her character was as evident as the appreciation and respect of the local collectors whom we met at the Barn. Falling instantly in love with the unusual creations around us, our only problem was finding anything yet unclaimed - I’ve never seen so many red dots (indicating “sold”) in one place.

HMM, *Deep Blue Sea* *large dish*; photo (c) Hannelore Meinhold-Morgan

HMM, Lustrous Waves Dish; photo (c) Hannelore Meinhold-Morgan

Born in Germany, Meinhold-Morgan worked as a journalist before re-training as a potter, studying ceramics and glaze composition in Nuremberg, Bavaria. In the 1980s she relocated to Oxfordshire to be near her three children who were then studying at Oxford University. On the heels of successful exhibitions in England and Germany she was offered to revive the then disused Boot Barn Pottery in Stonesfield by using it as her studio. Four decades later, this is where you can still find her, making her unique creations.

There is a wonderful article about Meinhold-Morgan written by Catherine Stebbings and published in 1998 in the Culture section of the Independent. Describing the work as breathtaking, Stebbings was just as stunned as I was. Her description of the artist and the pottery is alluring, on-point, and just as true now, 26 years later - well worth a read.

HMM, Large Persian Blue Sgraffito Platter; photo (c) Hannelore Meinhold-Morgan

Meinhold-Morgan is inspired by nature, whimsy, and stained glass, with work ranging from practical to decorative. Combining colour, form and texture all of her pieces are quirky, unique, unexpected.

She develops her own intricate glazes to decorate the one-off sculptural, hand-built and wheel-thrown ceramic objects.

Mixing the glazes according to her mood and learning as she goes, she says, “If I put my whole soul into it, it can be very satisfying.” Indeed - for us all.

HMM, Persian Green vase-candelabra, photo by author

You can find Hannelore Meinhold-Morgan at the Boot Barn Pottery (01993 891389) on Boot Street, Stonesfield, Witney, Oxfordshire. Visitors are welcome, but please make an appointment beforehand. She still takes commissions although she now works slower and produces less, so I would recommend calling well ahead to discuss one.

Composing In Pots