Locals Loving Lavender: Shaping Clay and Calm with Sandy from Zandpaperfig Ceramics

At Wine Country Lavender, we love celebrating fellow creatives in the Hunter Valley who share our passion for nature, craft, and calm living. In our “Locals Loving Lavender” series, we meet artists, makers, gardeners, and chefs whose work is touched by this beautiful botanical. This week, we’re chatting with Sandy, the ceramic artist behind Zandpaperfig, a soulful small-batch pottery studio inspired by the Australian bush, earthy textures, and quiet rituals like lavender tea or lighting a calming candle.

Sandy attended a pottery class when she was a kid and knew there was something quite special about it - some 40 odd years later she finally got back into it, and her passion is present in every piece she creates:

Is it ok if I fall in love with almost everything that comes out of the kiln? I started making pottery because I wanted to create the kind of pots that don’t go out of fashion. I want to make mugs you’ll reach for every morning. I want to make tableware that will evoke memories, long after the event has passed. I want to make vases that will still be loved when your grandchildren have grandchildren.

"Once I finally got back into pottery, I realised it would be more than just a hobby. Within a year, I was helping out at my friend, Cristie’s studio – Hunter Valley Ceramics Studio and teaching hand building workshops. It was a natural progression to start selling my work and ZANDPAPERFIG was born!", Sandy explains.

"The name ZANDPAPERFIG is a combination of my nickname and the name of a lovely little bush tucker fruit – the sandpaper fig, which is a little rough on the surface and just a tiny bit sweet on the inside. I think this is the perfect analogy for me and my pottery. My logo is a ‘Z’ with a stylised version of the international symbol for earth, borrowed from my first career as an electrician. I’m also a keen gardener, so the thread of ‘earth’ runs through a lot of my story."

"I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands. I find something magical happens inside the brain when the hands and eyes are working in partnership. There is a calm that settles over me when I am in contact with the earth and clay is a terrific medium for instigating that feeling. Whenever I feel stressed, the solution is always to get my hands in either dirt or clay."

Sandy's Pottery Practice

When asked about what inspires her designs and the textures and glazes she uses, Sandy says that the Australian bush play a bit part of her work, particularly for her vases and Many of my vases and larger works. "Growing up at the foot of the Blue Mountains meant lots of childhood days spent travelling up into the mountains to hike the beautiful trails and explore the natural world."

"I enjoy making a variety of sculptural forms. Over the past year, I’ve been making little things like cats, birds, and houses, which are loads of fun. Everything I make is individually crafted so they are all one of a kind. I love making pinch pot mugs and I would carve clay all day long if it were an option!

Lavender in Sandy's Creative World

"When lavender is blooming in the estate where I live, I always have fresh lavender in a vase on the kitchen windowsill, in addition to the vases filled with dried lavender in various spots in the house. I always have a bottle of lavender essential oil next to my oil warmer in the studio. Especially in winter, one of the things that keeps me in the studio is aromatherapy and lavender is one of my go-to scents. I especially love lavender and rosemary or rosemary and peppermint together. I also use lavender to impress my small and tiny vases and on trinket dishes and I often start a drawing session with some quick sketches of the vase on my drawing table, which always has lavender in it."

Fast Five with Sandy

1. Favourite thing to make with clay?

Vases. No mugs… actually, it depends on the day. I just love working with clay and it feels traitorous to choose one object over another!

2. Morning or evening studio sessions?

Definitely evenings. I like a slow start to my morning but will often be in the studio until the wee small hours in summer.

3. Go-to scent or studio ritual?

Lighting the oil warmer at dusk if I am staying in the studio and doing a quick clean-up at the same time helps to keep my focus on the job at hand.

4. Best advice for fellow makers or slow-living lovers?

Put aside some time to evaluate each day. Having a mindful gratitude ritual that I engage in each morning helped me to shift away from fulfilling other people’s dreams and to start working towards living my dream life every day.

5. Lavender in one word?

It’s just heavenly – a delight for the senses and a terrific way to be in the moment.

Pottery Workshop with Sandy at Wine Country Lavender

We’re excited to invite you to a Pottery Workshop with Sandy (coming soon in 2026!), at Wine Country Lavender. Set in the peaceful surroundings of our lavender farm, this hands-on session is the perfect way to slow down, get your hands in clay, and create something truly special.

Participants will craft bespoke gifts, including ceramic jewellery and personalised items, with the added touch of lavender-infused beads for a sensory, calming experience.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced maker, Sandy will guide you through the creative process, leaving you with beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces and a little pocket of mindful joy to take home.

Attendees will be able to enjoy a stroll in the lavender fields, refreshments, and morning / afternoon tea or a grazing platter will be included! Tickets will be limited and will be available in early 2026 (or earlier as a Gift Voucher), so keep an eye on our Instagram/Facebook pages!

Send us a message if you need to enquire about other times or dates, or arrange a private group workshop.

Lavender & Craft: A Calming Connection

Just as working with clay offers a moment of stillness and self-expression, lavender invites us to slow down and reconnect. Whether it’s infused in a studio scent, a cup of tea, or an inspiring bloom, lavender reminds us to find beauty in simplicity.

Follow Sandy on Instagram and Facebook for updates on her original pottery and market appearances across the Hunter Valley. Keep an eye out for her new online store, coming soon! Sandy's pottery is available at Creative Village Newcastle, in Charlestown Square, and Scrubba Body & Friends store on King Street in Newcastle, at the Huntlee Artisan Market, Gresford Community Market, Valley Market Singleton, Medowie Artisan Markets, and additional markets across the Hunter Valley are on the horizon.

For more lavender-inspired stories from our community, follow Wine Country Lavender on Instagram and Facebook, or get in touch if you’d like to be featured in “Locals Loving Lavender.” We’d love to hear your story!