Les Rucinski has worked as a ceramicist since the 1970's, exploring different techniques and materials. His current collection is made from terracotta and black stoneware. He often decorates in a spontaneous style using the technique of sgraffito.

Les has been exploring creative possibilities with curiosity and craftsmanship. Over the years, he has mastered a wide range of techniques - from throwing and casting to slab building -  bringing both precision and playfulness to his process.

Les creates both functional and decorative pieces, often combining clay with other materials to elevate the final form. Practical objects are rigorously tested - used, refined, and sometimes completely reimagined - until they meet his high standards for usability and design. 

Decorative works, on the other hand, are shaped by a fine art sensibility, where surface, colour, and texture are carefully layered and reconsidered until the piece feels complete.

Every item is handmade in small batches, usually just two to four of any one design, making each piece distinct and quietly individual.

A note from Les about his most recent work and making his own clay:

"Visiting an exhibition in Worcester Museum I became aware of the pottery being made in the Malvern Hills area dating back to the Roman Period. The Romans did not import raw materials from a long way off. Potteries were setup on sites where there was an abundance of clay.....

Jumping to the present and I am finding clay in my garden. I am familiar with the processing of raw(wild) clay into a workable material. I found a clay which after processing is beautiful to work with and fires to stoneware temperatures i.e. 1235 centigrade being the optimum for this particular clay.

OK next a glaze. A simple glaze. This worked out to be clay and a flux. I settled on 50% unwashed and sieved ash from my wood burner and 50% dry clay the same as the throwing body by weight. Lots of experimenting later I needed a slip with no iron content. There is none of that in the garden or anywhere in the hills. So I had to give in to using a white clay which I had bought some time ago.

The pots you are looking at are at least 99% of the Malvern Hills and less than 1% from far away. That’s a fair compromise as I am getting results that I am excited about and if I was not excited I would not continue making pots because, for me, this is a way of life....... I only hope that my clay supply does not run out!!! So this material is indeed precious and I cannot afford to waste it on mass produced mediocre items. I make very few pots. They are, therefore, somewhat rare and require handling to be fully appreciated."