Atelier Stella is a contemporary ceramic studio founded in 2012 and operated by Stella Baggott, creating stylishly playful ceramic vases, planters and homewares that bring a smile to your face. In ten years the studio has grown from a contemplative hobby in London to a Brighton studio and showroom, and is now an established presence on the handmade ceramic scene. The collection is ever changing, using geometric shapes and forms to create beautiful, useful objects to treasure.

Stella graduated with BA in Graphic Design and went on to be a well know Children's book illustrator. Whilst working in London she spent 4 years attending ceramic evening classes, her hobby soon blossomed after a successful craft fair, and Atelier Stella was launched in 2012. The collection evolves with influences from vintage ceramics, folk art and ancient pottery mixing the rustic use of patterns with the frivolity of character. Her signature style is the cute but sophisticated smiling faces, with long noses and stamped markings which adorn each pot.

"My starting point for my designs is what I like, what I would want in my home. I like things that make my smile but I also want it to be stylish and to fit into my own home decor which is quite modern with vintage elements. I'm a big fan of mid-century ceramics from Scandinavia, Cornwall and Italy for their bold use of texture and pattern and also love the clean lines and simplicity of Japanese design - I think my work reflects all of these influences. My Mother is a florist and artist who has always encouraged my artistic side and love of nature I think her influence is why I have always styled my pots with plants and flowers in them - many are from her garden.

All my work is hand built and sculpted from slabs of stoneware clay, sometimes combining slip cast orbs or pinch pots. Shape is an important element for me and I love to use strong geometric shapes as a starting point. My ideas often morph and change as I work. I usually make a range of shapes and tubes of clay and then join them together or add arms to create characters. I don't like to waste clay so bits chopped off one design maybe become a piece of their own. The pieces are then individually hand stamped before bisque firing. When glazing I stick to a simple palette of whites, greens and blues, playing with textures of overlapping glaze reactions and unglazed surfaces to create interest."

The current full range is available from the online shop or Brighton showroom, Stella also supply's a small number of independent shops and galleries in the UK and EU. Atelier Stella has also collaborated with West Elm, Anthropologie, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The V&A Museum on bespoke collections and commissioned pieces.