Tell us a bit about Mingyu Du Ceramics
Mingyu Du Ceramics is a Cambridge-based practice born from a desire to bring serenity and the beauty of functional art into daily life. My journey began with a deep appreciation for the mastery found in ancient vases at the British Museum and the works of artists such as Lucie Rie and contemporary Japanese ceramists.
The tactile nature of clay captured my focus five years ago during a hand-building course in Essex. Since moving to Cambridge, I have transitioned to teaching myself wheel-throwing and setting up my own studio. A defining element of my current work is the search for ‘quiet’ matte surfaces; I spend a significant amount of time conducting glaze tests to achieve a finish that feels both contemporary and grounded. As a mother and maker, I view my ceramics as an extension of everyday creativity—crafting objects that are meant to be lived with, touched, and cherished.
Tell us more about your studio and ways of working
My studio in Cambridge is my sanctuary. It overlooks our Zen-inspired garden, a space filled with trees, flowers, and ample light that allows me to feel connected to the sky while I work. Before I touch the wheel, I take a moment to adjust my breath and slow down, watching the clouds and trees. On my wall, I have a piece of Chinese calligraphy I wrote that says, ‘Go have tea’—a Zen phrase reminding me to live in the moment. This sense of quiet and meditation is at the heart of my process.
I mostly throw on the wheel; I find it magical how a simple lump of clay can be transformed into any form. After throwing, I spend time trimming unique feet for each vessel once they reach leather-hard. For my larger sculptural pieces, I often combine wheel-throwing with hand-building techniques to achieve the right scale. Because I run the studio alone, I handle every step myself—from throwing and trimming to the extensive glaze testing required to find those ‘quiet’ matte surfaces I love. It is a long process, but I find joy in every stage.
What’s inspired your range in the Kettle’s Yard shop?
The inspiration for this range comes directly from the ‘quiet’ atmosphere of my studio and its connection to the natural world. Living in Cambridge, I’ve always been moved by how Kettle’s Yard treats light and space as living elements. My range was designed to capture that same stillness I feel when watching the clouds float by or the trees whisper outside my studio window.
I focused on creating forms that felt grounded yet light, finished with the matte glazes I’ve spent years developing. These pieces are intended to be ‘functional art’ that brings a sense of Zen and serenity to the home, much like the ancient vases and contemporary Japanese works that first sparked my dream of becoming a potter.
Why did you want to collaborate with Kettle’s Yard?
As a Cambridge-based maker, collaborating with Kettle’s Yard feels like a natural extension of my own philosophy. It is a place where creativity meets everyday life—a concept that defines my work as a wife, mother, and potter. I have long admired the Kettle’s Yard house’s ability to make art feel approachable and tactile. To have my ceramics, which are born from a meditative state on the wheel, sit within the context of such a storied and peaceful institution is incredibly meaningful to me.
If you had to buy yourself a gift from the Kettle’s Yard shop, what would you choose?
I would choose Jim Ede’s book, A Way of Life. It is such a beautifully concise record of how he saw art and the domestic space bringing each other to life. I love how the book feels like a guided tour, showing the light playing on natural materials like stone, wood, and china.
As a maker who finds deep meditation in the ‘quiet’ atmosphere of my own garden studio, I resonate with the spirit of wholeness Jim Ede created. Owning this book would be a constant reminder of the philosophy that inspired my range: that functional art should not just be looked at, but lived with and cherished as part of a peaceful way of life.
Shop Mingyu Du Ceramics
From £32
Mingyu Du Ceramics
Handmade in her studio just outside Cambridge, Mingyu Du’s range of functional wheel thrown stoneware has a minimal elegance that infuses beauty into the everyday. Inspired by ancient vases, Lucie Rie and contemporary Japanese potters, Mingyu sits down to her wheel with a simple aim: to craft pieces that bring serenity to daily life.
Kettle's Yard Shop
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