MUDTHING-EN

MUDTHING
For lovers of ceramics

Mudthing is a multi-disciplinary project combining the talents of the ceramicist Emma Darby and filmmaker Guillermo Asensio. Working together from our century-old flat in Barcelona, we’ve designed a line of small batch accessories for potters and makers, with sustainability and social responsibility very much in mind. We care about how we do things and we know you do too.

Mudthing Linen apron, lightweight design

Linen apron, lightweight design
unisex
sage-green or terracotta washed linen
one size fits all, adjustable neck strap
split-skirt and front pocket
designed in-house, made in Barcelona

70€

BUY

A Mediterranean inspired apron, made in high quality, stonewashed linen. So lightweight that you won’t even notice you’re wearing it! Choose between a soft sage green or a warm terracotta.

These aprons don’t just look good, they feel good because they’ve been designed by a potter, with maximum comfort in mind. Our signature split-skirt allows you to move more freely than a standard apron will. If throwing at the wheel, you can sit legs akimbo and get up to all kinds of creative mischief without your clothes getting dirty. Shorten or lengthen the neck strap to adjust the apron to your size and preference for fit. Although our aprons were made to cater for potters’ needs, they’re also being used by artists of other trades where ease of movement is required.

As with all our cloth items, these aprons have been beautifully crafted in the socially responsible sewing studio we partner with. This studio in Barcelona, managed by women and working with women, is fully committed to training up vulnerable groups of people for a brighter future. Your custom can help make a change for the better.

As a size reference, Emma -in the photo- is 1.65m tall. She’s wearing the neck strap at almost its shortest length. See other potters’ reviews for these aprons in our online shop.

Denim apron, original design
unisex
dark blue denim
one size fits all, adjustable neck strap
split-skirt and front pocket
designed in-house, made in Barcelona

70€

BUY

Our signature, total coverage apron designed with wheel potters in mind. We’ve picked out a hard-wearing but soft denim fabric that will keep you clean and dry when things get messy! The split skirt allows you to sit comfortably at the wheel without dirtying your legs and also frees up the long length when moving around the studio. Use the adjustable neck strap to conveniently shorten or lengthen the apron to best suit your size and preference for fit.

Although initially designed for potters, our resistant denim aprons make great workwear for artists of many other trades where both protection and unimpeded leg movement are required.

These aprons have been beautifully crafted in the socially responsible sewing studio we partner with. This studio in Barcelona, managed by women and working with women, is fully committed to training up vulnerable groups of people for a brighter future. Your custom can help make a change for the better.

As a size reference, Emma -in the photo- is 1.65m tall. She’s wearing the neck strap at almost its shortest length. See other potters’ reviews for these aprons in our online shop.

Mudthing Wa-Sabi crossback apron with split-front

Wa-Sabi crossback apron with split-front
natural ecru linen
small size only
designed in-house, made in Barcelona

65€

BUY

A Japanese-inspired, minimalist linen apron designed for potters that don’t need heavy coverage. Whether you’re creating in the studio, meeting clients, or even posing for photos, this lightweight, artsy apron will keep you clean as well as make you feel and look great!

Julia Hoji, in the photo, is a small size and 1.67m tall. Check out the reviews for this apron in our online shop.

Tool roll
tools not included
ecru or terracotta cotton canvas
eight pockets
size when rolled up 11 x 21cm (w x h)
designed in-house, made in Barcelona

30€

BUY

I had a tool roll similar to this one when I first started out with ceramics in Barcelona. I really liked having all my tools together in an easy to stow, portable package. Over the years, it’s drawn the attention of other potters and so I decided to make my own improved version. The pouch is especially good if you need to carry your tools from one place to another, or want to keep them safe in a shared studio. See the reviews for our tool roll in our online shop.

These tool rolls have been carefully crafted in Barcelona, in the socially responsible sewing studio we partner with. Your custom can help make a change for the better

Pack two boxwood throwing ribs
sail rib 60mm x 110mm (w x h)
teardrop rib 60mm x 100mm (w x h)
designed in-house, made in Catalonia

30€

BUY

These beautiful wooden ribs have been made with Catalan boxwood by one of the few remaining artisans in Catalonia dedicated to this trade. Boxwood is a hardwearing, fine-grained wood, and the species that we use for our tools is native to the Mediterranean and especially suitable for use in a wet medium like clay. Wooden ribs won’t remove clay material, or slurry as effectively as brass, but they’re well suited to gently cajole your pot into shape.

Our teardrop rib is a touch smaller than standard, as from experience we’ve found small tools to be easier to handle and therefore more effective.

To care for your wooden tools, avoid leaving them in water or slip and rub in a little natural oil every now and again to keep them tip top. See other potters’ reviews for these ribs in our online shop.

Pack two brass throwing ribs
kidney rib 88mm x 47mm (w x h)
rectangle rib 60mm x 110mm (w x h)
designed in-house, made in Barcelona

25€

BUY

I was over the moon when I received a beautiful large brass rib for Christmas. Unfortunately, I found it to be bulky and unmanageable and so I decided to custom design some tools of my own.

The kidney fits perfectly in my hand, it’s small, light and easy to handle. I love the shape because it combines curved and straight sides which means it can be used to throw both bowls and plates. The slanted rectangle rib will sharpen up either straight-sided or slightly flared cylinders and we’ve softened up the corners a smidge so they won’t dig into your pot as you work. Both ribs have a thin edge that make them the perfect choice if you need to remove excess clay from your pot. Oh, and they won’t rust either!

Why have boring steel or aluminium when you can have these golden beauties? See other potters’ reviews for these ribs in our online shop.

Social responsibility & sustainability

Your custom helps support a small network of artisans and socially responsible initiatives in and around Barcelona city.

Our small batch aprons and tool rolls are exquisitely sewn by a studio that’s committed to social inclusion. Run by women and working with women, this studio provides vulnerable groups with professional training, followed by a three-year contract to work on the in-house production line. Our aprons and tool rolls are sewn by these newly fledged seamstresses. When you buy one of these items, you’re also contributing to an ethical initiative that actively puts people’s wellbeing first.

Unlike most commercial wooden ribs, ours are individually handcrafted in local wood by one of the few remaining artisans dedicated to the woodcarving trade in Catalonia.

We’ve chosen brass for our metal ribs not just because we love the way it looks, but because brass is made of recycled metals and so needs less natural resources to produce.

Emma’s tableware for your home

Beauty is bound up with vulnerability and imperfection, so I use my technical skills on the wheel to create work that allows this idea to take hold… that allows me to be human. When I’m throwing, all mental chatter ceases, time pauses and my hands lead the way, slowly teasing a shape out of the clay spinning in front of me.

A small selection of my functional ceramics is available online. Have a look below and see if anything catches your eye.

Big bowls
extra wide stoneware bowls
34-37cm x 9cm (w x h)
handthrown in Barcelona

from 220€

BUY

These large but gentle bowls have been made for slow, generous living. Fill with seasonal fruit, a sumptuous salad to share with friends and family, or maybe just leave to sit quietly on a table as a draw for inquisitive fingers and eyes.

The bowls have been coated in overlapping layers of my own satin glazes, mixed up by hand in soft, muted tones. The clay at the foot ring has been left in its raw shade of dark terracotta, and the visible throwing lines are an intentional nod to the human hand that was present throughout the whole creative process.

Bijou bowls
set of three stoneware bowls
12cm x 4cm each (w x h)
handthrown in Barcelona

60€

BUY

“bijou -from French- meaning jewel, used in English to refer to something small, delicate and elegant.”

Set of three small bowls that will add a creative touch to any setting. Made one by one on the potter’s wheel and finished with my own exclusive glazes. These bowls have a small, discrete foot and will sit comfortably in your hand - perfect for all your small treasures.

Mud Think Tank Films

A series of short film capsules in which the ceramicist Emma Darby and filmmaker Guillermo Asensio work side by side exploring concepts that arise from the act of creating in clay. A homage to the city of Barcelona and to the unlikely beauty of the urban world.

MUDMAKERS Documentaries

Our pottery films from the MUDMAKERS series are now available to watch over at The Silly Box, an audiovisual incubator developed by Asensio Comunicació Visual. In this breeding space, you can see the work-in-progress of projects related to creativity and the arts.

Contact

Emma Darby emma@mudthing.com
Follow us on Instagram @mudthing