Clay Trap is an open-access ceramics studio for learning, experimentation and creativity in clay, located at CAST in Helston. We have a membership scheme, run courses, workshops and open access sessions for the public and provide educational opportunities for local community groups to work with clay. The studio is well equipped with six potter’s wheels, two electric kilns, an extruder, slab roller, work benches and storage for ongoing work.

Sarah Fassnidge

Sarah is a ceramicist working in Cornwall, primarily on the wheel, under the name SF Ceramics. After completing a BA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins, she spent a number of years working in the world of food and prop styling. During this time she found herself increasingly drawn to the tactile nature and the often utilitarian use of ceramics. Fascinated by the intimacy of our relationships with everyday objects, she produces vessels for day-to-day living that hold tactility and an appreciation of the natural world at their core.

 

Bridie Maddocks

Bridie makes wheel thrown, wood fired pottery with the intention of them being used and enjoyed, becoming part of a person’s daily routine whilst bringing a little bit of happiness with it. Originally trained at The Barn Pottery in Dartmoor, Bridie undertook a two-year apprenticeship with potters Sabine Nemet and Nic Collins. During this time, Bridie found a love for wood firing; she was drawn to the physical challenges of preparing the materials; the chopping and the stacking of wood, the warmth from the kiln, and the crackling of the fire during the solitude of the ‘graveyard’ shift. Bridie’s approach to clay focuses on the way in which pieces are fired; she uses wood for both heat and ash decoration as well as bicarbonate of soda as a glaze, which is sprayed in during the firing.

 

The Studio

The studio was set up by CAST (the Cornubian Arts & Science Trust), the educational charity that owns the former school building in which it is housed. Having applied for European Regional Development Fund support through the Community Led Local Development fund, CAST was also responsible for running an open call for a consultant to manage the development of the studio, leading to the engagement of Rosanna Martin. Following this funded start-up period in 2022, Brickworks was run as an independent Community Interest Company under Rosanna Martin’s leadership. As of October 2023, Sarah Fassnidge and Bridie Maddocks as Clay Trap at CAST (Trading name of Clay Trap Ltd).