MEET THE MAKER
A closer look at the makers behind the craft, their workspace and the world that inspires them.
Meet the maker: Ho Lai
Ceramicist Ho, behind London studio Fire & Earth, has handpinched a series of tableware in collaboration with Studio Supple, and each piece tells a story of its craft
“My focus on hand-building and pinching techniques ensures there is always a handmade quality to the texture.”
I studied art in Hong Kong and actually began as a painter before realising that I wanted to create something more three-dimensional, leading me to ceramics. I trained as a potter, throwing on the wheel, and produced tableware for a studio that worked with Michelin-starred restaurants in Hong Kong.
I later moved to London to complete a master’s degree in Ceramics & Glass at the Royal College of Art, where my practice became more sculptural and artistic. It was there that I began applying a more expressive ceramic language to functional tableware.
I mainly use hand-building and pinching techniques, so the process is intentionally slow and tactile, ensuring that there is always a handmade quality to the texture. The outcome is very different from much of what is currently on the market: wheel-thrown with clean lines, sharp edges and refined finishes. While beautiful, I often find that approach limiting in terms of variation and character.
Three years ago, I travelled to Mashiko, the birthplace of the Japanese Mingei movement, known for its deep heritage of handmade crafts including textiles, ceramics and woodworking. The experience inspired me to create pieces that feel contemporary while still resonating with the rich history of folk craft traditions.
Closer to home, London’s café culture is a huge source of inspiration for me. I love observing different dining experiences and the tableware used within them. I also love cooking and hosting friends at home, gathering together food, people and the tableware I have collected from around the world. Most of the pieces I collect come from Japan, as I travel there almost every year, but I also support local makers and studios like Pophams and Klei.
I quickly recognised that Scarlett and Archie’s ethos and vision for Studio Supple closely aligned with my own practice through a shared appreciation for the handmade - that sense of touch and imperfection. The name of my studio, Fire & Earth, reflects a return to the primitive essence of ceramics — the elemental relationship between fire and earth. That philosophy is echoed in the way Scarlett and Archie curate spaces — through their aesthetic, textiles and approach to design.
Like much of my work, the three pieces created with Studio Supple were heavily informed by the Japanese Mingei movement and its philosophy centred around folk art and craftsmanship that finds beauty in everyday objects. Together, we developed designs that explore colour, texture and form. The pieces carry that rustic, folk-craft sensibility, while the silhouettes remain contemporary.
My studio is intimate and in constant need of decluttering! I like to surround myself with objects that inspire me, and I collect many different types of tableware, from mass-produced pieces to works by local makers.
The space is also filled with samples and experiments, including a mottled green platter finished with a rock glaze made from stone during a recent residency in Amsterdam. The experience was special because I was able to work with a gas kiln and reduction firing techniques while experimenting with different raw materials. I love working with natural materials — ash, rocks and minerals — to develop unique glazes and textures.
There is a Japanese glass artist I admire called Rokka Glass. She creates beautifully handcrafted glass boxes for jewellery and small objects. The pieces have a delicate, watercolour-like quality and are incredibly well made.
