British potter, Jono Smart, has had an entire lifetime of career changes in his 32 years. Now a potter, Smart was previously an advertising executive, garden designer and bricklayer. He likes to think that this wide range of jobs led him to where he’s now… happily making beautiful pottery.
With a studio set within a converted barn just outside of London proper, Smart sticks to simple forms. He leaves the exteriors unglazed in order to show off the organic beauty of textural imperfections and he glazes the interior with a simple finish… usually in natural tones of grey and white.
The tablewares that Smart makes differ from one another just slightly; enough to make the collection feel unique. Meant for everyday use, it’s also the multi-purpose aspect that Smart strives towards; for example, the jugs can also be used for vases. If you love raw silhouettes, you’ll love Smart’s elegant pieces!
Occasionally using blues and greens, Smart usually adheres to a natural color palate. In such, his pieces always evoke a simple organic element.
Image courtesy of: Humphrey and Grace
Unfinished on the exterior and beautifully glazed on the interior, Smart’s pieces are versatile and individual items can be used for more than a sole purpose.
Image courtesy of: Humphrey and Grace
This quote by the young British artisan perfectly sums up his perspective, “I want to make things that are used every day. Things that become part of daily routines and rituals. That become part of Sunday morning breakfasts, remind you of a friend, or get placed each night on a bedside table.”
Image and quote courtesy of: Branton Frameworks, UK
To get his desired finished product, Smart experiments with hundreds of variations of textures and finishes. Starting with color and texture leads Smart to follow with the shape. Perhaps backwards to some, this process seems to work perfectly for Smart!
Image courtesy of: Banton Framework,UK