Porcelain Bee Bottle by Red Earth Designs. Handmade in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.

A porcelain specimen shaped bottle decorated with bee decal and honey coloured drip glaze.

Approximate size: height 15.5cm, base width 6.5cm.

About the Maker: 

Identical twins, Karen and Claire Gibson graduated from the University of Ulster at Belfast in 1996, each with a BA. Honours Degree and then in 1998 with a Masters in Fine and Applied Art, ready to take on the world, but first, a bit of retail experience was necessary.

After two years with various jobs in the retail industry, enough management experience had been gained to begin the search for Studio premises. Alongside this, they were busy completing the LEDU (now Invest NI) business start up course, and approaching the Princes Trust, business plan in hand, for any help they could offer.

The search for premises took them to Townsend Enterprise Park, an ideal location close to the city centre, from where they still work today, with a fully equipped Pottery studio and a fully equipped Framing studio.