Sarah Bartlem
Originally from rural Cheshire, Sarah began her creative journey at Art School, where she completed a foundation course before specializing in Graphic Design. She built a successful career in advertising, working with agencies in Cheltenham and Manchester, before settling in North Wales with her partner, Neil. Together, they have run a design and editorial business for over 20 years.
Sarah has been fascinated by ceramics since childhood, drawn to the craftsmanship and heritage of the medium. This passion eventually led her to explore pottery herself—a craft she embraced with dedication and enthusiasm.
Inspired by the rugged landscape and traditional stonework of Cilcain Village, Sarah’s work reflects a natural harmony between form and function. She works with three distinct stoneware clays, unified by their organic textures and a soft off-white glaze. Whether hand-built, pinched, carved, or wheel-thrown, her pieces maintain a cohesive aesthetic, designed to complement one another beautifully when grouped.
Her background in graphic design informs her approach to surface decoration, with loose, hand-painted brushwork—often in circular motifs—adding a dynamic yet organic quality to her ceramics.
Sarah’s work is crafted to be both functional and timeless, celebrating the tactile beauty of handmade forms. Each piece embodies the slow, intentional nature of the craft—where the unpredictability of the kiln adds an element of discovery to every firing.