Studio 573
Artisan Tableware Shop & Pottery Classes
Studio 573 brings the timeless craft of pottery into the heart of Helmsley. Located on Bridge Street, this brand new studio is both a creative workspace and a showcase for artisan tableware. Whether you’re new to clay or already confident at the wheel, Studio 573 offers an environment where making feels accessible, calming, and deeply rewarding.
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One-Off Taster Classes
4 Week Courses
6 Week Courses
Memberships (coming soon)
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At the core of Studio 573 is Iona Crawford-Topp, the potter behind Iona Ceramics. With roots in rural North Yorkshire and having trained at the prestigious Design Crafts Council of Ireland, Iona has spent recent years refining her craft — designing functional tableware, developing her own glazes, and experimenting with textures inspired by coastline geology. Her pieces are already used by Michelin-starred restaurants and artisan bakeries, and now she brings that same passion and precision into teaching and producing locally from this new studio.
Classes range from short taster sessions to full multi-week courses covering throwing, trimming, glazing, and forming—and Iona ensures all skill levels are welcome. Alongside these, the Studio 573 shop features her Coastal Classics and porcelain ranges, including mugs, bowls, plates and teapots designed to bring the essence of the coastline into everyday use.
What Makes It Uniquely “Indie”?
What sets Studio 573 apart is the blend of heritage and innovation. Iona’s work is deeply respectful of craftsmanship, sustainability and tradition—she honours historical techniques (including her father’s blacksmith-workshop roots) while pushing creative boundaries through glaze research, design, and teaching. It’s a place that offers more than pottery: a chance to connect with craft, with place, and with something handmade.
“Iona is an outstanding ceramics teacher. She gives information at just the right pace, and shares her knowledge in ways which are accessible and instructive. Iona is really good at working with all her students, no matter our stage or level of skill. It’s a pleasure to learn from such a gifted potter and attentive teacher.”
