A love of op shopping infused with a background in the coffee industry turned into a career in ceramics. In 2021, we commissioned a special hand-turned, hot chocolate tumbler from a newbie in the industry, and it's been rewarding to see Richard Beauchamp's wares pop up all over the country ever since.
WIN!! We're giving our readers the chance to win a match made in heaven, right here in Aotearoa. Pop over to Instagram, where you could win one of three hot chocolate prize packs, including a WCF x Richard Beauchamp tumbler with a bag of WCF hot chocolate.
But, first, take a moment to find out more about Richard Beauchamp - his influences, inspirations, and plans for the future...
Could you tell me a little bit about how you got into ceramics or pottery and what helped you take the leap to 'quit your day job'.
I think a love of op shopping helped kick start my interest in ceramics. What began as a need to thrift clothes on the cheap in my early twenties turned into a regular crockery hunt—trawling through stacks of cups and plates in search of mix and match colour glaze and off-white super vitrified ware. Before long, I was turning pots over, looking for recognisable maker’s marks.
Working in coffee was formative too—handling functional ceramics on a daily basis helped develop ergonomic literacy, and deepened my appreciation for well made everyday objects.
The real turning point came when some friends presented me with an opportunity to relocate to Christchurch. I’d been quietly churning out pots at my local pottery club for a couple of years when they offered me the use of an empty farm shed with three phase power—basically a blank canvas to set up my own studio. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime chance that I couldn’t turn down.
You have a strong background in coffee, what parts of that industry have informed how you design, make and form your work?
I was fortunate enough to spend almost a decade at Coffee Supreme—long enough to try my hand at multiple roles across the business. Making coffee, serving customers, customer support, order fulfilment, despatch, events, R&D, and even one tentative afternoon on the phones, typing orders into the computer system.
That range of experience helped me understand the intricacies of producing and delivering a well considered product—from sourcing materials and managing production, to product testing, logistics, and the intrinsic value something carries once it’s in a customer’s hands.
On a more practical level, working behind a coffee machine is a lot about optimising extraction and creating an efficient, intuitive workflow. A mindset of continual refinement and responsive decision making has definitely shaped how I approach making ceramics.
How would you describe your style?
For the most part, I’ve gravitated towards a minimal, clean aesthetic, with straight lines and neutral glazes. That said, I often think about the opportunity to explore more expressive forms and finishes—something I really enjoyed about working on the WCF tumbler.
Could you tell me a bit about how the WCF bespoke cup came about?
The WCF tumbler was my first real commission. I was still working out of the Wellington Potters’ Association clubrooms at the time, so getting to collaborate on a project like this was really exciting.
I remember chatting to the team about WCF’s goal of celebrating artisanship and supporting local artists. The tumbler was to be cupped with two hands and reflect WCF’s brand colours.
Beyond that, I was given full creative freedom. It was a great experience, and a chance to explore new techniques I hadn’t used before.
Who are your inspirations inside and outside ceramics?
Before I started out making my own pottery, I’d made something of a habit of visiting Paul Melser’s studio whenever I had a work trip to the Wairarapa. I’d be left to browse the work in his showroom, spending what felt like hours at a time, cautiously picking pieces up, turning them over in my hands and just generally basking in the wonder of over 50 years of dedication to the craft.
Another source of inspiration was an open letter from British potter Bernard Leach, published in Essays in Appreciation (1960). Reading it gave me chills. He addressed the New Zealand pottery community with encouragement around the challenge of respecting tradition while pushing forward to find an authentic voice—a familiar struggle for artists and makers first starting out. Reading it felt so affirming, and strikingly relevant, even 65 years after writing.
Some of my most inspiring moments have actually been in hospitality—over a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, at a kitchen bar, or around the cupping table. There’s something powerful about the way people come together, the exchange of ideas and collaboration that can happen as the result of openness, generosity and reciprocity.
Finally, any exciting projects coming up?
I do! I’m currently working with a couple of cafes to make ceramics for use during service, which is incredibly rewarding. Functional cafe ceramics have always been front of mind throughout my journey as a maker, so these feel like full circle moments that draw directly from my previous experience working in coffee.
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To view more of Richard's work, visit richardbeauchamp.studio or, click here to purchase a WCF tumbler, design and hand thrown by Richard Beauchamp.
