Function+Form Meet Jono Smart
I strongly believe in feeling an emotional connection when it comes to choosing what you have in your home. If I fall in love with something and can't stop thinking about it, then it needs to be mine. When I stumbled upon the Instagram feed of British potter Jono Smart, I had that kind of reaction, the "oh my *********** how ridiculously beautiful are they?!" kind. So it's no surprise that our second speaker for our first Function+Form gathering this Saturday is this very man. Not only is he a complete natural at the potters wheel despite only recently discovering this talent (he used to be a professional garden designer) but he's just the loveliest man to boot. His designs are clean and raw, playing to the simple beauty of natural clay with a matt finish and muted tones...
"I work with a palette of gentle colours and tones. I feel like they give a stronger presence to each piece than decoration would. If the form doesn't stand by itself then it's the form that's wrong."
Jono's studio space can be found inside a converted Medieval barn on a large farm in rural Berkshire, where over time he has developed his own style and organically grown a business from what was initially a hobby. Are you in love yet?
"My work is for daily life. Leaving the exterior raw means that the pieces will change slowly over time, showing the marks of day to day life."
Seeing work like this makes me so, so happy. We can't wait to meet Jono in person and share his quietly brilliant work with our guests where they'll feature as part of our styling for the brunch.
To follow our morning at Forge & Co, join us on Instagram on Saturday morning with #WeAreFunctionAndForm.