Roger Cockram originally graduated in zoology doing post graduate work in marine ecology before studying ceramics at the Harrow School of Art, then returning to north Devon to set up his own pottery.

He originally threw large, wood-fired pots using local clay then gradually altered his style to incorporate images from his observations of the local marine environment. His work centres on the movement, colours and texture of water and its influence on the creatures and plants that live in and around it.

He produces work in various shapes and forms, often relatively large using skilled decorative techniques of modelling, incising and painting. He uses several sponged layers of vitreous slips and various matt and gloss glazes which bleed through one another during firing to give a strong sense of depth to the surface.

His work is fired once at above 1300°. Helping Roger run the Chittlehampton Pottery in North Devon is his wife Ros who is a talented painter and print-maker.

Chris Soule has been potting for 32 years.

Early on in his career, he began producing for Harrods & Heals – his first 2 retail customers

Later, he designed for, among others, Terrance Conran, David Mellor cookshops & Debenhams cookshop

On moving to Suffolk 6 yrs ago, he turned his attention to producing distinctive fine ware ceramics using reactive glazes of his own design.  This produces the mottled effect and gives the glaze great depth.

Chris’ work is distinctive:-

The mugs are light and delicate – not like other hand thrown mugs which can be heavy and thick-rimmed

The glaze is strong and hard, and resistant to tea and coffee stains

Anne Jones comes from a very artistic family.  Both her mother and her grandfather were talented artists, and her aunt was an artist and sculptress.  Her father was a design engineer with a keen eye for detail, and it is probably from him that Anne has inherited her ability to observe and reproduce fine accurate detail.

Anne and her husband live in North Devon where the local climate is ideal for growing tender plants, such as the clematis that feature in many of Anne’s paintings.

What’s more, their house is graced by a large walled garden which is where Anne’s considerable collection of clematis grows, along with many other beautiful plants, attracting all the birds and butterflies that visit this idyllic haven, their beauty captured and preserved forever by their inclusion in Anne’s paintings.

So it is that Anne’s garden provides many of the botanical subjects for her paintings – both flora and fauna – all of which are individually painted from life.  Local fields and hedgerows provide additional subjects, such as the recently added Wild Flower Collection.

Having no formal art training has allowed Anne to follow her own path and, by her own admission, some of her techniques would not be found in art textbooks.

However, it is the end result that counts and the freedom with which Anne depicts her subjects has made her work collected across the world.

Bridgford Gifts extends a warm welcome to any of her existing customers who have ventured here to see her latest work.

You are equally warmly welcome if this is your first introduction to Anne’s work.

I hope you will fall in love with it, just like I did the first time I saw it.

We would love you to buy something, but please feel free just to browse.  We hope you will come back time and time again because, with Anne’s ever growing collection, there is always something fresh and new to see.

Melinda’s Australian roots influence every piece she produces reflecting the colour and vibrancy of the country, with just a hint of confident sparkle.

Born in and growing up around Sydney’s fabulous beaches Melinda studied Art, Textiles and Fashion Design and developed an early passion for the natural environment and the freedom of expression she exhibits in her designs reflects this. Her extensive travels around the Far East, Europe and America have honed this passion creating pieces that combine the feel of these different cultures; modern but with a passing glance to tradition, colourful and confident but in no way brash.

She has lived in Wales for the past 13 years and with her Irish ancestry feels a strong bond to her adopted country and the United Kingdom as a whole where she feels the sense of style and occasion is much more ingrained in the culture. She says, “People in the UK like to dress up for an occasion and accessorise, I love that sense of style and willingness to try new things and just have fun with fashion!”
Melinda combines Sterling Silver, Semi-Precious Stones, Pearls, Shell, Coral, Venetian Hand-Blown Glass, Swarovski and Czech Crystal into stunning pieces to produce collections ranging from striking simplicity to glitzy city chic.

Striving for the more unusual materials sourced from all over the world, Melinda’s aim is to incorporate the most up-to-the-minute gem cuts and gem technology, creating designs that are practical and easy to wear yet maintain a sense of fun, style, elegance and glamour. Each piece of jewellery will compliment any occasion as well as your individual style and budget.

Melinda’s passion for cutting edge affordable, quality design is one of her driving forces and the collection is constantly evolving in line with fashion trends. Each piece is made in Wales, UK, exclusively by hand, ensuring the customers gets a unique item of the best possible quality.