Brit McDaniel is the designer behind Paper and Clay. She makes modern ceramics that are designed to be both beautiful and functional. Each piece is made by hand in her workshop in Memphis, Tennessee.
McDaniel is inspired by Danish and Scandinavian design, and her work, as well as her studio reflect this. “I love clean lines and the marriage of form and function, but I also want my space to be warm and inviting,” she says.
The same is true for the colors and glazes she creates by hand. “The inspiration for my glazes comes from vintage designs to Scandinavian Folk Art, to textiles and more,” McDaniel says. “To achieve my glaze colors, I start with a base glaze that I’ve perfected over time, then I add stains and/or oxides to achieve the color I'm looking for. This process can take anywhere from a couple weeks to a few months, as a lot of tests are required to get a color just right.”
““I think there is a natural fit between Splinter Creek and handmade ceramics -- both so closely connected to nature and the land with a modern human touch.” -- Brit McDaniel
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“I love the idea of creating work with a particular space in mind. I think my clean lines and modern colors pair perfectly with the warm wood tones and other natural materials of Splinter Creek homes,” McDaniel says. “I also think there is a natural fit between Splinter Creek and handmade ceramics -- both so closely connected to nature and the land with a modern human touch.”
text and photos by Erin Austen Abbott, July 2017
Abbott owns Water Valley's Amelia shop, contributes to Design*Sponge and recently released her new book How To Make It. Find her and more of her Splinter Creek photos on Instagram @ameliapresents.
