Jenny Wild is part of our Pottery Family - she has a home studio and belongs to our Clay Conquerors membership.

Forth from the left in the photo below, Jenny always joins in with our members activities and is one of our quirkiest makers…. that is her amazing little car in the background!

Jenny has had an interesting career path: “My strengths have always been science based I suppose, although my first job at 15 was putting the jam in doughnuts. Trained as a veterinary nurse initially then studied Applied Biology.

Various lab based roles led to quality control and regulatory. After 30 years I was Regulatory Affairs Manager for UK, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries.

Change happens and I got the chance to take voluntary redundancy, too good an offer to refuse!!

So I left, trained as a dog groomer so I work with dogs rather than people, I could be my own boss and commute to the end of the garden. Apart from underestimating how busy I would become and how physical the job is, I love it. Who can stay blue when faced with a cheeky face and a wagging tail”

“I have always drawn animals, occasionally people. I’m not sure what initially spurred the move to 3D. I first tried using air dried clay but soon found its limitations. I looked locally for classes for using the real stuff and found you guys!! The rest is history 😁”

— Jenny Wild

The red desert fox in the middle here was Jenny’s entry to our members’ lidded vessel competition.

“Dogs are my first choice as I know their form so well but I like a challenge so finding an animal with strong personality and trying to choose a pose that shows how they move.

Your competitions are great as I have to think outside the box although I have managed to relate the subjects to animals some how” says Jenny

We think this little guy is so gorgeous, he has stared in several local craft fairs with the Collective

“No real frustrations, your classes gave me some initial tools and techniques to experiment and explore. I learn with everything I make and from watching what other people make.”

— Jenny Wild, when asked what were her biggest frustrations

This has always reminded me of Picasso’s pottery

What is next for Jenny? “I’m starting to get some commissions which is interesting. Having to not only make something that looks like a dog, but that looks like an owner’s particular dog is more challenging. “

This is a very challenging project, people know their animals so intimately and they are usually very emotionally sensitive about their clay likeness.

“If I’d just played with clay on my own I’d have lost interest ages ago. You guys and the community you have gathered around you give so much encouragement and enthusiasm it’s amazing 🤩”

— Jenny on her membership

Jenny’s beloved dog Guzzy in real life and his maquette & final sculpture glory

We love watching Jenny respond to a brief, she has a creative confidence that doesn’t come as easily to most people.

This lovely teapot below was made in Gaye’s hand building teapot class, a real clay triumph!

Cannot wait to see what you do next Jenny, grate to have you aboard our Pottery Family : )

Wild by Name, Wild by Nature - Meet our member Jenny