Working closely with the land, maker Sam Dowling independently sources, processes and transforms Cornwall’s mineral-rich natural materials into distinctive clays and glazes. His practice is deeply rooted in the Cornish landscape and his lived experience within it.

Drawing on materials including moorland granite, coastal slate, beach sand, Camel Estuary clay and apple-wood ash, his work establishes a distinctive Cornish Material Identity, capturing an emotional connection to the landscape through surface, texture and form.

Sam graduated in 2026 with First Class Honours in Ceramics from Cardiff School of Art & Design, and he has now returned home to Cornwall, where he intends to establish his first studio and continue to examine, experiment, and build on his existing knowledge of local materials in atmospheric kiln-firing techniques.