Made by hand. Made to last.

I’ve wanted to learn pottery for as long as I can remember. What held me back for years was simple: there was no studio nearby. When one finally opened close to home in 2020, I signed up — and haven’t stopped since.

My path to ceramics was shaped by years of living and travelling across West Africa, India, and Asia. In Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, India, China, and Kenya, I was always drawn to handmade things — the kind of objects that carry the mark of the person who made them. I still have a small bowl I brought back from Burkina Faso.

The connection to my work in the plant industry came naturally. I keep many plants at home, and over the years I collected ceramic pots to hold them — because a beautiful pot brings out the beauty of the plant. That small observation eventually became the push I needed: why not make the pots myself?

Benu takes its name from Egyptian mythology — the Benu bird, which rises again and again from fire. It felt right for a practice built around the kiln. Every piece I make is fired twice: first at 950°C for the bisque, then at 1250°C for the glaze. Each firing is a small act of faith.

The studio is a welcoming space for anyone who wants to express their creativity through their hands. Throwing on the wheel demands complete attention — the moment your mind wanders, your piece shows it. That focus, I think, is the point. You can’t be anywhere else when you’re working with clay.

A friendly studio where everyone can find their creativity through clay. That’s Benu Pottery.