About Keith Brymer Jones
KEITH BRYMER JONES
I’m Keith Brymer Jones, a born and bred Londoner and a potter by trade.
Many people know me as the judge on TV shows like the Great Pottery Throw Down & The Victorian House of Arts & Crafts but my real job, and my passion, is ceramics. The first bit of ceramics I ever made was a pottery owl, when I was 11 years old. The process of pottery gave me a sense of escapism.
It was then that I knew I wanted to be a potter and, after a brief stint as the lead singer of a punk band (!), I became an apprentice at Harefield Pottery in London at 18. This is where I really learnt how to use traditional hard graft to make modern ceramics. After my apprenticeship, I started out at my first studio in Highgate hand-making all of my ceramics for a variety of retailers including Conran, Habitat, Barneys NY, Monsoon, Laura Ashley and Heals. About twenty five years ago, I began to develop the Word Range for the first time. I was originally attracted to words because of their shape; the bucket mug ‘hot’ is my favourite because of how symmetrical the shape of the word is. The Word Range has produced over 500 products and it is sold in over forty countries. I hope it brings a smile to people’s faces!
My design philosophy is a simple one; I like to create stylish yet simple products that are pleasing to the eye and, above all, practical in the modern home and make people happy! For me, less is more!
The Word Range
Originally inspired by my own struggle with dyslexia, my Word Range started out as a handful of mugs and has grown to include kitchenware, homeware & tableware. With clean styling, a hint of vintage, and a large slice of humour, the Word Range features individual mugs, plates, teapots, gravy & measuring jugs, flower vases, a butter dish and so much more. There are many items in the range which are perfect for gifts.
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Limited Edition Luxury Scented Candle – Cucumber, Thyme & Black Pepper
£35.00 Add to basket -
Medium Ceramic White Mug – Love (red) – 350ml
£14.95 Add to basket -
Ceramic White Egg Cup Set of 4 – what came first the chicken or the egg
£24.95 Add to basket -
Ceramic White Butter Dish – butter
£29.95 Add to basket
Design Collaborations
My working life now revolves around my studio in Whitstable, Kent, which is housed inside an old bakery. Here, I hand design every Keith Brymer Jones item (oh yes, it’s all very hands on!). I also throw shapes on my pottery wheel for other designers/illustrators/creators in my job as Head of Design at MAKE International, a leading wholesaler and retailer of designer ceramics. It is in this role I have been lucky enough to collaborate with amazing designer, illustrators and brands like Scion, Jane Foster, Tatty Devine, National Trust, Bert & Buoy, Sukie, Hokolo, Becky Baur, Barnes & Noble and Dorset Cereals.
Once I am happy with each shape I have thrown on the wheel, I then travel to China with the finished prototype, where I work with our great team on the factory floor to ensure the products we produce maintain the same standards as the ones in my studio back home. All of the pieces in the Keith Brymer Jones ranges are then finished by hand.
BOY IN A CHINA SHOP
In his book, Boy in a China Shop, Keith tells the story of his life and inspiring rise to success through the objects and images that have been meaningful to him every step of the way, as he recounts key moments and events as well as the people and places that have shaped him. From his childhood and early devotion to dance to discovering clay at the age of eleven, to his tough apprenticeship at Harefield Pottery and struggles to establish his own business, this memoir goes beyond the TV show to offer us a rare insight into Keith’s own philosophy and outlook on life.
On the Telly
The fourth series of the Great Pottery Throw Down finished airing on Channel 4 in the U.K. earlier this year. As always it was an emotional ride filming the series and I was very lucky in meeting & working with some wonderful & talented people. I hope everyone enjoyed watching it as much as I enjoyed being a part of it. It is also now available on HBO Max so folks across the Atlantic can watch too!
The Great Pottery Throw Down 2020
I am very excited to be back on your screens with the Great Pottery Throw Down on Channel 4.
KBJ Collaboration with the National Trust
The Keith Brymer Jones National Trust Collection is a colourful range of six mugs, partially-glazed in clean & understated hues. Keith created the colours to reflect the dramatic coastlines, wide open landscapes, historic architecture and treasure trove of arts & antiques that he discovered while visiting National Trust locations.
More Videos
I’ve even done a few videos singing about my ceramics and how I make them, which you can see here! I hope you enjoy!
I love making things
A little bit about how lucky I feel to have been able to make my living from doing what I love.
National Trust Collection
The story of my range of colourful, partially-glazed ceramics in clean & understated hues created for the National Trust.
Nothing Compares 2 Keith
Ever noticed how beautiful Noel Fielding’s eyes are? Check them out in in this bit of fun we made together.
CLAP ALONG WITH KEITH
Channeling my inner Pharrell Williams with this, shot between Whitstable & China.
If you own a shop and would like to set up a trade account please contact:
For the UK: Forma House
For the Rest of the World: MAKE International