Let's just play – Ruthanne Tudball demonstrates hand-building a Tall Bottle form.

In recent years Ruthanne has moved away from using the wheel to explore hand building possibilities. In this one-day masterclass she shares some of the techniques she uses to create her work. By challenging some of the orthodoxies of the pottery world (as she says, 'let's just play') she produces fluid, graceful work that foregrounds clay's natural qualities. This is one of several informal videos I made during the day. Filmed hand-held on a pocket camera, the results are often shaky and the sound sometimes poor, but these are shortcomings of my film making: her enthusiasm and skill shine through. Recorded 9 August 2026 at Ridge Pottery, Somerset UK.