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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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