Nicola Gillis is a ceramicist based in Brighton, U.K. making functional tableware. Through her work she invites you to be mindful of each of our daily eating and drinking rituals by focusing on the vessels that we use, what we see, what we share, what we hold and touch. She takes inspiration from the East Asian use of tableware, a specific purpose for each vessel and where pleasure is drawn from individuality. Although there are commonalities, she does not seek to replicate exact size or marks and embraces imperfection. Shadows and light on daily walks throughout the seasons and the beauty found in degraded surfaces and patina also inform her work.

Nicola has developed her interest in ceramics over the past 8 years, studying on the full-time Ceramic Development course at Forest Row School of Ceramics in 2019, and beginning to sell her work in during 2020. Initially using the wheel, Nicola developed her practice to include hand-building with slabs, carving, and coils, all of which she finds to be a slower, more thoughtful approach to making.

In November 2024, Nicola received funding from  the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust to travel to South Korea to develop her skills under master potter Kwak Kyung Tae.

Nicola invites you to begin a conversation with her through her work by handling each piece, feeling their weight, softness and exploring their marks