John Mackenzie

John Mackenzie is a Cornwall-based studio potter known for his wood-fired stoneware. 

After completing a degree in Ceramics at Harrow University in 2001, John developed a fascination with kiln building. He recently built his own 140 cubic foot Anagama (cave) kiln near Gweek, fuelled with offcuts from a local sawmill. Each firing lasts around 50 hours and requires constant attention as temperatures climb beyond 1,300°C. At these temperatures, wood ash melts onto the clay to form a natural glaze, revealing a palette of soft greys, ochres, reds and olive greens found throughout the Cornish landscape. Some vessels also carry the mark of a scallop shell, where they rested during firing.