Sandy Brown

The international ceramicist tells us about her life in Appledore, Devon

Interviewed July 5, 2024

International ceramicist Sandy Brown tells Rosanna Rothery about her life in Appledore

She is known for her spontaneous and bold use of colour and clay. An influential figure in the world of ceramics, Sandy Brown’s vivacious work can be found in more than 30 museums worldwide, including London’s V&A.

Her large-scale sculptures prove to be provocative talking points, including her magnificent Temple (commissioned by Sotheby’s for an exhibition at Chatsworth House) and Earth Goddess (the South West’s answer to the Angel of the North).

Despite this international acclaim, for the past 30 years she has chosen the relative obscurity of a quaint north Devon fi shing village in which to base her studio and home.

Appledore has long attracted artists, craftspeople, musicians, fishermen and foodie entrepreneurs, and Sandy’s studio in a former sail-making loft is a magnet for art lovers and ceramic collectors from across the globe.

At home, in her open-plan kitchen with sweeping views over the River Torridge, her impetuous and joyful approach to her craft is evident in the array of quirky teapots, platters, pots and jugs perched on every surface. Her delight in simplicity, colour and shape resonates from each functional yet playful piece.

Sandy Brown ceramics — Image: Dave Green

Creative influences

Sandy learnt the art of ceramics while living in Japan, but it wasn’t the only passion she acquired at that time. She says: ‘My love of good coffee developed while I was there; people in Japan are absolutely mad about coffee.

‘I particularly remember this travelling man who used to come into my friend’s pottery with all his possessions in a rucksack. In it were the green coffee beans he had walked 200 miles to and from Tokyo to buy, a handmade roaster, a fan to cool it down, his own handmade jug and a handcrafted filter. He used to stay at the pottery for three days at a time and they would feed him and he would make the coffee.

‘While living there I used to frequent a little coffee shop which could only seat around ten people. It specialised in coffee from a precise south-facing slope on a particular mountain in Colombia.’

Sandy’s Appledore

Socialising

I love to go to Appledore Dining Club, which meets in the village’s wine bar The Yard. As you never know who you will be seated next to, it’s a lovely way to build connections with new people as well as catch up with old friends. There’s usually a themed menu so you could be eating anything from Japanese cuisine to dishes from a local cookbook.

Neither the dining club or venue have a “snobby rich” atmosphere; the vibe is open and creative, much like Appledore itself.

I also go to the pub to listen to live music. I rarely have to leave Appledore for a fun evening out because there are usually two or three gigs happening in the village every weekend.

Sourcing ingredients

Breakfast and lunch always come from deli and grocer Johns of Appledore. I get everything there, including sourdough from Appledore Bakery and Roastworks coffee. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I shopped anywhere else.

For dinner, I usually cook fresh fish, which I get from two great sources: a boat called The Serene Skye, which posts on Facebook when it goes out and sells its fish from a cabin on the quay. There’s also the Devon and Cornwall Fish Company at the fish dock. It’s great to know everything you buy from them was swimming in the sea the day before.

I often follow the fish course with a pudding based on a local recipe such as an apple chappie – a crumble made with suet. If I have friends staying I usually cook dinner at home for them as I like using my own ceramics and exploring the whole relationship between pots and food. I appreciate good cooking when I eat out but I don’t always like the tableware it’s presented on.

Getting outdoors

I love rowing and am a member of Torridge Pilot Gig Club. It’s great exercise for the whole body, especially the core and legs. To get power in the stroke you have to row fairly slowly, which makes you breathe deeply and evenly. It’s a non-aerobic form of exercise and you can keep going longer.

It’s always wonderful to be out on the river in nature and it’s really nice to row as a team. You have to work together and be totally in sync with each other.

sandybrownarts.co.uk