Creatures From The Deep
Dredged up from the ocean bed, all manner of treasures will reveal themselves… Mena Ceramics’ range of Barnacle Cups have a little bit of local history attached, as well as a few creatures from the deep.
And there’s a surprise in the pipeline, with plans for a series of limited-edition ceramic barnacle bottles to contain rum made by a rather well-known Pembrokeshire
producer… watch this space!
Each stoneware cup has been hand-thrown by Mena Ceramics on the wheel in The Potting Shed at East Gate Gallery. Once the cup is shaped, it’s then a painstaking process of intricate work adding tiny pieces of clay by hand to build up the effect that the barnacles and shells are actually attached to the cup. After that, the cups are glazed before being fired in the kiln.
Mena Williams
“I wanted the surface of this design to be 3D, to create the impression of bottles or vessels that have been under the water for years, with barnacles encrusted on them over time. I also wanted the barnacles to serve as a reminder that ceramics are not invasive in the environment, they are made from natural materials and are made to be used, re- used and used again – unlike plastic.”
The first barnacle cup Mena created was for an art competition run in 2018 by Pembroke rum producer Barti Ddu Rum. She was inspired by tales of Captain John Bartholomew Roberts, the famed Welsh Pirate ‘Black Bart’ or Barti Ddu. The Pembrokeshire rogue is reputed to have been the most successful pirate of all time. Mena also takes inspiration from the modern-day heroes who dive to clear the seas of rubbish around the Pembrokeshire Coast.
“It is important to me to work in partnership with local businesses, to collaborate with other creative people locally when I can. The Barti Ddu art competition inspired me and my latest range has come about as a result.”
Mena Williams
Barti Ddu was reputedly teetotal, so he would happily drink tea from Mena’s cups.But it was Barti who invented the Pirate Code – that all bounty be divided equally – so he would have made sure his sailors all got their fair share of the rum. Mena Ceramics has other recent and on-going collaborations, including producing a
unique ceramic dinner service for theme nights at the East Gate Gallery’s neighbouring pub, The Hope Inn.