Ceramicists never really retire, but they are allowed to indulge in a sabbatical. In this episode of An Art to It, I chat to Lucy Burley, whose beautifully distinctive ceramic bottles and vessels have been a much-loved part of my gallery https://thebyregallery.co.uk/ for ten years.
In our very lively chat Lucy reflects on her creative path, from a first life in London as a tri-lingual secretary and then working in television production to discovering painting classes, art school, and eventually clay. She talks about developing her now instantly recognisable style, inspired in part by Giorgio Morandi, and explains how she built a ceramic practice rooted in harmony of form, colour and use.
We also discuss what it means to sustain a creative business over decades: learning as you go, building gallery relationships before the internet made everything visible, managing health challenges, and knowing when it's time to step back and reassess. Lucy shares why 2026 has become a "mini gap year" or sabbatical for her - certainly not retirement, but a pause to think, travel, learn, and explore new directions in her work.
This is a very open and honest conversation about longevity, resilience, creative identity, and the delicate balance between making work and making a living. Oh and, as a memorable postscript, Lucy also shares the extraordinary story of the time she ended up in prison in the Indian Ocean.
In this episode:
Lucy's route into ceramics via painting and art school
Leaving television and finding a more creative path
Developing a distinctive style and glaze palette
The influence of Giorgio Morandi on her work
Building a ceramic career before Instagram and websites
Why she chose not to do large craft fairs
Teaching ceramics and why she eventually had to stop
Living and working with Lyme disease
The decision to take a sabbatical from full-time potting
What success means at different stages of a creative life
The "fine art of balance" in a creative business
And the unforgettable story of a spell in jail in the Andaman Islands
Lucy talks about some of the fellow creatives and businesses who have supported or inspired her:
Charles Gladstone: https://gladstonehellen.co.uk/@hawardenestate and @gladstone_hellen
Scilly flowers: https://www.scillyflowers.co.uk/@scillyflowers
Fiona Findlay: @findlayfiona
Thom Hudson: @thom_hudson
Lucy Nicolls: @lucydorothyart
Kyra Cane @kyra.cane
