About Me
Hi, I'm Linda Burns – a ceramic artist with over 20 years of experience shaping, forming, and firing clay into pieces that celebrate texture, nature, and the joy of handmade craft.
My journey with ceramics began in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I studied Ceramic Design at Wits Technikon. During my final year, I was honoured to receive the inaugural Tim Morris Scholarship for Studio Ceramics—a turning point that gave me the confidence to pursue this path. After earning my National Higher Diploma, I set up my first studio in my parents’ garage in Krugersdorp.
From there, my small slip casting business steadily grew, supplying handcrafted ceramics to galleries and outlets locally and abroad.
My journey with ceramics began in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I studied Ceramic Design at Wits Technikon. During my final year, I was honoured to receive the inaugural Tim Morris Scholarship for Studio Ceramics—a turning point that gave me the confidence to pursue this path. After earning my National Higher Diploma, I set up my first studio in my parents’ garage in Krugersdorp.
From there, my small slip casting business steadily grew, supplying handcrafted ceramics to galleries and outlets locally and abroad.
History
In 2013, life brought a new chapter. My husband Justin, our two kids Michael and Kaitlyn, and I moved to beautiful New Zealand. After a break from clay, I found my way back to it—as I always do—this time through the welcoming Halswell Pottery Group, where I began teaching evening wheel classes. That reconnection sparked something, and today, I work from my home studio in Christchurch where I create my own work and run intimate classes in wheel throwing and hand-building.
Nature is my greatest muse. I’m drawn to earthy tones, organic textures, and the raw beauty of clay itself. I use a range of techniques—stamping, carving, texturing, and incising—to enhance the natural surface of the clay. Through the addition of oxides and slips, each piece becomes a tactile story, balancing form and feeling. My practice includes wheel throwing, hand-building, mould making, and slip casting—methods that allow me to explore both functional design and sculptural expression.
Whether you're here to find a one-of-a-kind ceramic piece, explore classes, or simply learn more about my work—welcome. I'm so glad you're here.
Exhibitions
I have participated in numerous national and private exhibitions over the years.
- • Weird & Wonderful Teapot competition 1996 (Pretoria, South Africa)
- • National Craft Awards 2008 (South Africa)
- • Halswell Pottery Group Exhibition 2019
- • Sculpture Festival 2023
- • One Pot One Shot 2024
- • Ferrymead Rotary Art Show June 2024
- • Halswell Pottery Group Annual Exhibition 2024