On a personal note:

A native of Dublin, Patricia established The Potter’s Yard as a ceramic studio to make her individual pots and tiles, when she moved to Wexford from Wicklow with her kiln and family in 1997. Howard is an accomplished and practiced artist potter, working full time at her craft. She trained with such luminaries of the Irish craft scene as Sculptor Christa Reichel in West Cork and Peter and Helena Brenna in Dun Laoghaire. As a student potter she moved to Denmark, then a country of exciting contemporary craft design, and worked for potter Tue Polsen in his Copenhagen studio. Returning to Ireland in the early ‘70s, she joined the Camphill Community in Co. Down where she worked as the assistant potter, later becoming the resident potter responsible for a 5 person team of trainees.

An invitation from friend and mentor Christa Reichel in the mid 1970s to set up a studio in partnership in Cork city was an exciting opportunity. A farewell gift of £25 from Camphill and a loan of £250 from a close friend, Patricia purchased her first kiln and wheel, put shelves and a bench into the tiny studio in Sheares Street and Circle Pottery came into being. Howard’s use of black clay became her trademark – as did her large wall pieces. Her range of rustique country ware has been developed in Wexford using the richest of green slip glazes inspired by mediaeval pottery found in archaeological digs in Ireland.

Having learnt her craft as an apprentice in the workshop environment Patricia believes in offering students the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of her personal creative space at The Potter’s Yard.

Students of her One Day Workshops or her Evening Courses will receive professional thorough tuition in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and have sociable enjoyable sessions in stimulating yet tranquil surroundings.