Meet The Maker: Zara Speke
We’re thrilled to introduce the wonderfully talented ceramicist Zara Speke (@zara.speke) as the first in our Meet the Makers series. Zara’s joyful, hand-painted ceramics are a celebration of craft, colour and creativity, each piece imbued with a distinct sense of charm and individuality.
Her journey into ceramics is one of quiet determination and creative instinct – from evenings at the kitchen table to building her own forms by hand, all while balancing work and motherhood. What began as a lockdown experiment with air-dry clay quickly evolved into a flourishing practice grounded in tradition, personal expression, and a love of imperfection.
In our Q&A, Zara shares the inspiration behind her beautiful patterns, the meditative magic of making, and what it’s been like to turn a passion into a profession.
What first led you to start your ceramics business?
Whilst at school I was advised against pursuing a creative path, despite loving art, so instead I choose a career in Sports Marketing. But over the years, I felt a growing desire to bring more creativity into my everyday life. During Covid, I dabbled in a few crafts and bought some air-dry clay. I then took a beginner’s pottery workshop one afternoon in West London and from there I was hooked. I bought a few basic supplies and started making plates at my kitchen table, lugging crates of ceramics back and forth to a nearby studio to be fired.
I’m not quite sure when the balance tipped from hobby to something more serious but it happened quite quickly. Launching the business was scary, putting myself out there and needing to believe in myself and my work, when I still very much considered myself a beginner (and in many ways I still do!). But the response to my ceramics has been so wonderful and it’s helped build a growing belief that I can do this.
What inspires your forms and patterns?
I’ve been lucky to travel to India a couple of times and fell completely in love with block printing and decorative interiors. That style and aesthetic is very much carried through into the patterns I hand-paint today, with flowers often at the core inspiration.
Ceramics has also become a bit of rehab for my perfectionism. I love creating forms that feel organic and free-flowing, pieces that celebrate irregularities and imperfections. It forces me to let go a bit, which I think is really healthy. I’ve never used traditional moulds; everything I’ve made so far is hand-built, and I’d love to continue working in that way.
What’s your favourite part of the making process?
It’s hard to pin point just one thing. But I love seeing ideas come to life. Often the idea as it was in my head, is never the same when I'm holding the finished piece in my hands. It always evolves and changes. When I open the kiln and see finished pieces I still often have the reaction of 'I can't believe I made / painted that'. It's always such a surprise!
Do you have a daily ritual in the studio?
I wouldn't say I have a ritual per se, but having always had to juggle my ceramics around a busy full time job, and now a baby, I like to have a clear idea or outline of things that I want to create or paint to give me some focus. If I go in with a completely 'blank page' so to speak, I can easily get distracted, procrastinate and flitter between many things achieving a whole lot of nothing by the end of the day.
