Mug Forms & Details
Each mug begins with a considered form, with the option to shape it further through small, hand-made gestures.
Over time, these have become a shared language — one that allows customers to choose how a mug looks, feels and meets the hand.
Below are the core forms and the gestures that can be applied to them.
Think of it as a Mug Menu:
1: Start with a form - Eg: Edge
2: Add a detail if you would like - Eg: Imprint (carved thumb groove on handle)
3. Add glaze type of choice - Eg: Ink Spot, Luxe Leopard, Midnight Oil, Painters
Once the form and any details are chosen, the mug is finished in a named glaze, resulting in combinations such as Arc | Impress | Luxe Leopard or Embody | Painters Green.
This system is especially helpful for commissions, but it also offers a clear way to understand the mugs you see here.
Arc
A curved form shaped by flow rather than line. Gentle arcs guide the hand and create a balanced, comfortable feel.
Body
A tactile form shaped by touch. Exaggerated finger ridges remain in the clay, carrying the maker’s hand through to the user.
Edge
A tight, minimal form designed as a canvas for glaze. Straight, controlled walls taper gently inward, inviting use while allowing the glaze to lead.
Details | Gestures in Clay
Some mugs include additional hand-formed details that deepen how the mug feels in use. (these next images show the detail on raw clay for clarity)
Imprint
A carved thumb rest formed from my thumb print. A small, ergonomic gesture that marks where the hand naturally meets the mug.
Impress
A pressed thumb impression added to the body of the mug, creating a subtle point of contact between hand and clay.
Embody
Both imprint and impress are brought together. The thumb rest and body impression deepen the tactile quality of the form, creating a sense of being held by the mug.
Some Examples of Form + Detail
Arc | Impress | Marine Mosaic
Embody | Green Painters
Edge | Imprint | Ink Spot
How giving up climbing led me to ceramics
I didn’t plan on becoming a ceramicist.
For years, my life revolved around being a personal trainer, climbing, and working with steel — pursuits that demanded strength, focus, and a deep connection to the body and materials. When I was forced to stop climbing and undergo a full hip replacement at 38, I lost more than a physical outlet.
Stopping climbing left a huge hole in my life — physically, mentally, and socially.
With climbing suddenly impossible and a long wait ahead of me for surgery, I tried a ceramics class in Geelong. I was hooked from the intro session. Monday nights that once belonged to climbing became hours at the wheel, and what began as curiosity quickly turned into obsession.