From Wind Farms to Clay Barns: Mike’s Journey to the Potter’s Wheel Part 1
Picture this: towering waves in the Irish Sea, the roar of wind whipping across an oil rig off the coast of Gabon, West Africa, and the weight of supervising 500-ton lifts that could make or break a day miles from land. That was life for our main potter, Mike, back in 2010.
He trained as an engineer and lift supervisor, spending years offshore in some of the harshest environments imaginable—drilling 120-meter foundations for rigs, battling relentless weather, and living by the rhythm of the sea and the platform. It was high-stakes, high-adrenaline work that took him far from home.
Fast-forward to today, and you’ll find Mike in a very different kind of wind-swept spot: our clay barn on St Agnes, where the Atlantic breeze is strong and constant, but the pace is slower, more deliberate. Instead of massive steel lifts, he’s hefting 25kg bags of local Dobles clay (sourced from the historic pits that have fed Cornwall’s potters for over a century). He loads it into the pug mill, de-airing it carefully so it’s ready for the wheel—smooth, alive, full of potential.
The transition wasn’t just about changing jobs; it was about coming home. Mike misses the travel and the wild adventure of those offshore days, but nothing compares to the quiet satisfaction of centering a lump of clay on the wheel, watching it rise under his hands, and knowing his family—Cathrine, Myah and George—are just a room away, keeping life wonderfully busy when he’s not lost in making.
That same hands-on care and attention to detail now flows into everything we create here. Each candle vessel starts with that same Cornish clay, shaped with intention, fired to perfection, and filled with scents that bring warmth and light to your home—just like the glow of a flame in the quiet of evening.
We’re grateful Mike traded the rig for the wheel. It means our candles aren’t just lit; they’re crafted with the kind of grounded, heartfelt energy that turns a simple moment into something truly special.