Karen McPhail and Gregor Campbell

Having studied at Glasgow School of Art we pursued careers in education and creative practice while bringing up our family. In 2018 we moved to rural Argyll and now work, combining our skills, in ceramics and wood.

We are situated on the shore of the beautiful Kyles of Bute in Argyll. Surrounded by heath and natural woodland, nature informs our work. Drey Workshop aims to make joyful objects for use in the home.

Home and family life have been our inspiration. Making furniture, puppets, toys and decorations for celebrations. Childrens’ book illustrators, Maurice Sendak, Brian Wildsmith, John Burningham and the imaginary world of Tove Jansson, enriched our lives. Gregor captured the everyday in his “drawing a day” project.

For the past ten years Karen has exhibited widely in galleries as Karen McPhail Ceramics. During this time she developed her distinctive technique of paper resist, slip decoration and a contemporary take on folk art imagery.

Working in clay follows the process of hand building forms, throwing on the wheel, or press moulding. Karen uses red earthenware clay and decorates each pieces at the ‘leather hard’ stage before the bisque firing. Decoration is applied using coloured slip. The final firing to 11800 degrees matures the glaze and gives intensity to the colours.

Gregor sources local hardwood and enjoys the challenge of transforming a beautiful raw material through work on a lathe. Every piece is unique and is oiled to a tactile finish.