Studio Glithero

Stuart worked in collaboration with Studio Glithero between 2020 and 22 to produce a series of vases and lampshades which they then decorate using a unique photographic method. The pots have very tight peramiters which allow them to be connected to a machine for coating in photosensitive gel. The pots are then exposed in a darkroom leaving the ghostly x-ray like images of whatever is covering the surface. The pots were used for a series called 'Hold Me' for Gallery Fumi where multiple people held the pot aloft while it was exposed to light. The lampshades featured the 'ghosts' of feathers and floral additions. Stuart is passionate about collaborating with other designers and often makes prototypes for clients looking to move into production. His favoured use of the wheel allows clients to see objects realised in 3D quickly and being made of clay they are able to be glazed and tested.

V&A -Food, Bigger than the plate

In 2019 Stuart was approached by the V&A museum to recreate a group of food composting pots originally made in Sri Lanka. It was deemed more sustainable to have the work remade in the UK than to transport them to London. Stuart was delighted by the challenge and the prestige to work for the V&A. The large pieces were thrown in terracotta clay with added flanges and handles as well as some simplistic colours for decoration. The pieces were a success and were exhibited as part of the Food - Bigger than the plate exhibition at the V&A in Kensington. While the sheer scale of the pots was naturally a challenge the finished items were a great representation of the skill of both the original makers and Stuart himself.  

John Lewis - Croft collection

With the birth of his first child in 2017, and his growing role at The Kiln Rooms, Stuart began exploring routes of production other than hand making everything himself. He contacted Robin Levien, a master of tableware and sanitary design in the UK and beyond. Robin has worked with several designers over the years and has been a philanthropic mentor to many in the tableware industry. He gave Stuart a lot of time for which is is extremely grateful. This lead to being introduced to the team at John Lewis who were looking to produce a new range for their Croft collection. Stuart hand made prototypes specifically for production so that the slip-cast, factory produced items would retain a sense of the hand and some of the original throwing marks. The range went through multiple rounds of testing and while it did make it to store for a few months, unfortunately the factory was not able to retain the quality in production that Stuart or John Lewis would deem acceptable. And so, after a short run, the range was retired. Since then Stuart hasn't revisited  factory production but says it's certainly not out of the question for the future. "Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, things don't work out, it's all part of the process, what I learned during the project has been invaluable and it is an insight that I'm proud to have and be able to pass on to those who I mentor in the future." 

Peter Doig & Stuart Carey - 'Lion Ting' Plates - White Chapel Gallery Icon Award

In 2016 Stuart was gaining a reputation as a respected teacher alongside his private practise. So as much of a shock as it was to answer the phone to world renowned painter Peter Doig, looking for classes for himself and his family. Stuart spent a week with Peter and his family in his Old Street studio where they developed not only their skills but a friendship. A similar taste in music was a good starting point. By the end of the week Peter had offered to support the creation of The Kiln Rooms studios which they will always be very grateful for. The following year Peter was to be awarded the Whitechaple's Icon award for best living artist. When asked to supply something that could be sold at the event Peter looked to Stuart to create a ceramics work representative of peters work. In collaboration they produced a thrown platter decorated with a lion symbol, an iconic image used in Peter's work. Stuart hand threw and painted each plate for the exhibition and still regards this project as one of his dream collaborations. 

Pearson Lloyd - Officeware

This range of 'Officeware' was Designed and produced for design agency Pearson Lloyd. The range was to be a fruit bowl and pen pot for each desk in a newly refurbished office space they were designing. The brief was clear that the bases of the pots must be fully glazed as to avoid scratching the desk surface. As Stuart standardly works in Stoneware this presents a technical issue as the base would usually be unglazed. The resolution was to have an unglazed rim and to fire the pots upside-down, retaining the glaze finish on the bases and incorporating a raw clay  rim which was then polished to a soft and satisfying finish. Short of developing new glazes and the fees that would incur, the company were happy to opt for Stuart's standard satin glazes in duck egg and cream. 

Gwyneth Paltrow & Goop

After the successful launch of his range for Calvin Klein, Stuart was approached by Gwyneth Paltrow's team as they were starting her online shop Goop. Stuart supplied the store for around a year and was proud to see the work appear in her cookbook 'It's All Easy'. These kinds of projects have cemented Stuarts reputation within the world of studio ceramics as he is able to compete at multiple levels within the market.    

Calvin Klein - 'Tyne' Dinner service

2015 was probably the pinnacle of Stuart's early career. In this year he won two designer of the year awards, had a great profile in the press and was approached by Calvin Klein New York to produce a dinner ware service to be stocked in their flagship store in New York. Though the range was produced under the CK brand the making was unmistakably Stuart, the glazes were taken from his standard range and the forms adapted to meet the design criteria. The range consisted of 8 individual items and the series ran for over 1000 items. As with all fashion lead projects it had to come to an end but this was possibly the moment Stuart felt he was an established maker, producing large orders for international clients. This was a transformative time for Stuart as he had to learn quickly how to represent himself to a global market and deal with everything that comes with working interantionally.