For our July ‘Potter’s Pick‘ our founder John Bedding has chosen potter Niek Hoogland:
“Slip trailing is a demanding and skilful technique, Niek’s use of it is a serious contender for the most accomplished I have come across in modern ceramics. It needs confidence and positivity to draw with liquid clay onto the pristine surface of a pot. It is akin to Japanese calligraphy; that of precise and economic statements and movement. Niek uses it with a flourish and creativity, and in a style of his own. His colourful bright designs of stylised birds and fish are well thought out, and reflect the character of the man behind them. It always amazes me how a person’s character and lifestyle are imposed on their pots. Niek has an honest and straightforward approach to life, simple, and with a healthy respect for nature and his environment.” ~ John Bedding, 2026. Read the full text online.
Receive 10% off Niek’s work online or in the gallery until the 31st of July. Use the online code: Potter’s Pick at checkout.
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Lugged Bowl
£112.00 -
Lugged Bowl
£112.00 -
Large Jar
£203.00 -
Fish Bowl
£82.00 -
Handled bowl
£112.00 -
Hare bowl
£82.00
About the maker
Niek Hoogland is a Dutch ceramic artist whose work is deeply rooted in the earthenware traditions of his native region. Born and raised in a town shaped by the clay dug from its own soil, Hoogland’s practice draws directly on the red river clays of the Maas and Rhine that have long supported local ceramic production. These clays were historically used for bricks, pipes and roof tiles, and for the celebrated Tegelen earthenware — red clay covered with white slip and decorated with coloured slips and sgraffito before firing.
Hoogland continues this regional legacy in his own work, using the traditional technique of slip painting with brushes and slip trailers, and sgraffito to reveal the underlying clay body. His process typically involves a first bisque firing to around 900 °C, after which work may be glazed and fired a second time to approximately 1100 °C, producing rich surface colour and gloss. The motifs in his ceramics often reflect the surrounding landscape, with the river Maas a recurring source of inspiration, and his pieces carry a strong sense of place and tradition.
Supported by the historical earthenware practices of the Lower Rhine region, Hoogland makes contemporary ceramics across a range of forms individual one‑off works, small series of utilitarian ware, and commemorative dishes commissioned for special occasions, all informed by a deep connection to clay, place and technique.