Welcome to Clay Magic

My name is Aly. I believe that the magic we felt as children doesn’t have to disappear just because we’ve grown up. Based in Wellington, where I live with my partner Simon and our cat Hugo, I balance a career as a lawyer with a deep, five-year love affair with the pottery wheel. For me, pottery is more than a craft; it is a meditative ritual and a way to regulate my heart after a busy day.

From my Grandmother’s Garden to Your Home

My inspiration began as a child, in my grandmother’s backyard. She created a "fairy garden" filled with red and white toadstools and tiny fairy sculptures, weaving stories of the magical creatures that lived among them. I have been on a mission ever since to live a life that the little girl I once was would be proud of—a life of magic.

I originally began making these lanterns because I dreamed of creating my own "magic garden" through art. I realised that for magic to grow, there first needs to be light. Soon, I discovered that this light didn't just belong outside; it belonged in our private spaces, casting the same whimsical shadows I remember from my grandmother’s stories.

The Beauty of the Ritual

I have always been a seeker of comfort and a lover of pampering. To me, the importance of beauty in our surroundings cannot be understated; it changes how we feel in our own skin. While I’ve always loved the ritual of lighting candles to create a sanctuary, I found myself frustrated by the waste, the way beautiful scents were housed in jars that were simply thrown away once the flame went out.

I wanted to create something permanent. A vessel that doesn’t just hold a light, but transforms it. Every hand-carved lantern I create is born from this desire to bring lasting, intentional beauty into the home; a piece of art that remains long after the candle has burned down.

The Long Game: Our Bigger Dream

Every lantern you see here is a stepping stone toward a "long game" dream shared by Simon and me: to open a destination cafe. We envision a space overflowing with colour, connection and creativity; a hub for live music, poetry, and workshops, where I can work in my pottery studio alongside other artists. 

It will be a place designed to invite everyone to reconnect with their younger, more imaginative selves. When you bring a Clay Magic piece into your home, you aren't just buying a ceramic lantern; you are bringing us one step closer to building a space of connection and wonder for all.

Every piece is hand-carved by me, with love, as a glowing fragment of that future reality.