My name is Nova Cookson and I’m a Brighton based, self-taught ceramicist working out of my garden studio. I’ve built my tiny ceramic empire up over the last several years and am absolutely loving creating new and unique pieces. The quirkier, the better! I draw inspiration from many things, especially the natural world, living by the ocean can be very inspiring. I love natural phenomena such as the Northern Lights and volcanoes and exploring the polarities between fire and ice in my work.

I was diagnosed with ADHD back in 2024 and it explains why I’ve always flitted from job to job or degree to degree. The one constant in my life has always been pottery. I have clear memories of intense concentration when making a little ceramic clown face back in primary school. Since then, I’ve always dabbled in clay, whether it was taking classes, or working in a pottery painting studio.

It wasn’t until 2021, when I did a fabulous pottery workshop in Sussex, that I realised I wanted to do this for a living. I haven’t looked back, and playing with mud, listening to loud rock music, surrounded by my gorgeous family is the happiest I’ve ever been.