Caitlin Froud
It feels rather lucky to have spent my childhood by the sea in Whitstable, a town world famous for its oysters, and means I have been graced with buckets full of delicious girlhood memories of collecting oyster shells and taking part in the town's annual Oyster Festival held in the summertime.
Oysters are so inextricably embedded in the identity of this town and, for me, it all seems to start with that nursery rhyme of a woman selling seashells on the seashore. Fuelled by this beachy nostalgia and a deep connection to Whitstable’s landscape, alongside a poem walking you through a typical summer back home, this ceramic collection celebrates oyster farming through the underrated oyster harvest baskets I often see stacked up in the harbour. Consciously sourcing and processing local oyster shells and oak from my fireplace to use as glaze material alternatives tells a seaside story and places a second-hand emphasis on sustainability, allowing the work to serve as a tangible celebration of a landscape.
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