For this week’s Meet the Maker series, we’ve been speaking to Catherine of Porth and Pebble Studio, who is one of the latest makers to join us at the Craft Kiln. Read the full interview below and follow us on social media for more maker interviews and the latest additions to our shops…
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Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you make?
I’m Catherine Neville, the artist behind Porth & Pebble Studio, based in Cornwall.
I see the world through a neurodivergent lens — drawn to small details that others might overlook, like a crack in a wall or the colours of seaweed drifting by. My work celebrates these quiet moments of beauty and reflection.
When I’m not creating, you’ll usually find me swimming in the sea or collecting beach treasures.
Day 2) Your work
Can you tell us about your product range – what do you sell at The Craft Kiln?
At The Craft Kiln, I sell two main types of work — pressed seaweed pieces and abstract collages.
My seaweed pieces feature real specimens gathered from Cornish beaches. They are a quiet celebration of the sea and a way to take a small memory of the coast home.
My collages explore texture and time, combining painted marks with found and upcycled papers inspired by weathered walls and traces of urban decay.
Each piece invites you to pause, look closer, and discover beauty in the overlooked.
Day 3) Your process
How do you create your work and what materials are involved?
Whether I’m pressing seaweed or creating collages, my process begins with noticing and allowing intuition to lead.
I collect seaweed while swimming or walking along the coast, pressing it between layers of paper until fully dried, to preserve their delicate forms and colours.
My collages begin through a playful process of mark making. I then tear and layer papers, often using upcycled materials, to create pieces that evolve organically through colour and texture.
My collages begin through a playful process of mark making. I then tear and layer papers, often using upcycled materials, to create pieces that evolve organically through colour and texture.
Watch Day 3 video
Day 4) Your inspiration
What inspires your work?
I’m drawn to earthy, sea-washed tones with small bursts of brightness, and to organic textures contrasted with geometric shapes. My work explores the meeting of nature and humanity — weathered surfaces, tide-worn walls, shifting coastlines, and the quiet beauty found in natural forms.
Being in or near the sea helps me slow down and reconnect. My art is a way of sharing that sense of calm and attention to detail with others.
Day 5) Your favourite
What’s your favourite piece?
My favourite piece is one I’ve never wanted to sell. I’m drawn to its earthy tones with pops of orange and the tension between organic mark making and geometric forms.
The background has a depth that feels almost magical — you can get lost in it — while the bold orange lines bring you back to the present. It somehow holds both calm and energy at once, which I think is why it resonates so deeply.
