Meet the maker Deiniol Williams

Deiniol was born and raised in Mid-Wales. He studied 3D Design at Manchester Metropolitan University where he specialised in ceramics. After graduating in 2005 he moved back to Wales where he established a workshop on the family farm in Devil's Bridge, near Aberystwyth.

In 2009 he relocated his practice to Glossop, a small town on the edge of the Peak District. Here, he set up a new workshop and started making earthenware tiles.

Once a year, he takes a selection of pots down to Wales to fire in the wood-firing kiln.

He also speaks Welsh.

EARTHENWARE TILES & MEDIEVAL DESIGNS:
Although originally working exclusively with stoneware pottery, a change in circumstances prompted a change in direction and a chance to develop a new range of work.

Having worked for a traditional oak carpentry business based up in the Peak District in the UK for a short spell, Deiniol developed a strong admiration for the skills of medieval craftsmen. They could produce works of such quality and beauty with such simple tools that Deiniol decided that he could transfer those ideas and designs across to his own practice in ceramics.

Having conducted research and visits to abbeys across the UK, he has reproduced a set of traditional medieval designs. Originally using carved woodblocks to impress the design into the red clay and then filled with a white clay slip, the results were quite stunning. However, it is a very time consuming process which meant Deiniol decided to utilise modern techniques such as screen printing. The historical medieval tiles are at least 25mm thick, where as Deiniol's tiles are only 8mm thick. This means that the tiles are easier to produce and they can be used in a wider range of settings.

Deiniol's tiles can be used as coasters, but they really come to life when installed on kitchen walls or as back-splashes behind cookers and ranges, and also for low footfall areas such as fireplaces.