White Clay Leaf Vase

A handmade ceramic leaf vase, shaped from real-leaf impressions in white clay and finished with a transparent glaze, made in our workshop in Scotland.

The making. Each vase is built from white clay, beginning with two slabs pressed with real leaves to capture their veins and outlines. The two leaf-shaped slabs form the front and back of the vase, joined by hand-rolled clay coils between them that give the piece its depth and standing volume. A base is attached to close the form. The vase is bisque-fired for strength, brushed with iron oxide to bring up the leaf veins, glazed with a transparent finish, and re-fired to seal it for use.

How it looks and feels. The white clay reads as a pale, chalky ground with the leaf venation drawn through it in iron oxide — the veins darkening to a sepia-to-black linework against the matte body of the clay. The transparent glaze gives the surface a low, soft sheen without hiding the texture, so the impressed ridges of the original leaf stay visible to touch.

Use it for:

• Holding a small bouquet of dried grasses or single-stem flowers
• A standalone sculptural piece on a shelf, mantel, or bedside table
• Grouped with darker-glazed vases for tonal contrast in a botanical still life
• A gift for someone whose home is built around pale, calm palettes
• Given to a friend who collects pottery rather than bouquets

A considered gift for the plant-lover, the scandi-minimalist, or the person who treats handmade objects as small acts of permanence — Mother’s Day, housewarmings, or simply because.

Hand wash recommended — avoid soaking or dishwasher.

Dimensions available on request.