Russel & Lesley established their pottery together about 13 years ago in the Dorset Countryside near the sea at Chesil. They often work together on a project or on a range of work, but each has their own studio, and they describe the way they work as ‘ working together separately’. They take individual commissions and orders, and produce their own ranges of work, one off pieces and production runs of tableware, kitchen ware and pots and features for the garden.

Russel Sydenham was born on a Motor Torpedo boat in Poole Harbour, and spent his childhood in and around the islands of Poole, swimming and sailing and leading a pretty idylic life, ‘like swallows and amazons’ is how he describes it. He has been potting now for around 35 years, his father built him his first throwing wheel when he was 6 years old! In 1968 he began an apprenticeship at Poole Pottery and after this worked with Jones the Potter in South Wales for two years. During the 1970s’ he worked with his Father, Guy Sydenham on Green Island in Poole harbour where they made salt glazed pottery together. In 1986 he set up a Studio at New Barn near Dorchester, Dorset. Since then he has established Barton Cottage Pottery with Lesley, where he is now based.

russel sydenham | lesley collington