CELEBRATING NEURODIVERSITY & CREATIVITY

Meet the artist behind The Unbound Canvas

Photograph of Louis in a blue hoodie with a special olymplics logo and a lizard on his shoulder

The Unbound Canvas is the pottery practice of Louis, based in Wellington, New Zealand. Each piece is shaped slowly at the wheel or by hand using a range of techniques, guided by calm, focus, and a deep connection to the creative process.

This work is about creating pottery that feels honest and grounded - pieces that don’t rush, don’t shout, and don’t need to be perfect to be meaningful.

Milestones that guide The Unbound Canvas 

Blue whale-shaped ceramic play with a distressed, rustic finish set against a plain white background.

✎ DISCOVERING POTTERY AS A CREATIVE PRACTICE

✎ DEVELOPING A REGULAR STUDIO ROUTINE

✎ SHARING WORK THROUGH SMALL, CONSIDERED RELEASES

A yellow ceramic bowl with a chocolate and vanilla ice cream scoop, topped with colorful sprinkles, garnished with a cherry and a mint leaf, sitting on a wooden table with a napkin and spoon in the background.

Every piece is shaped by experience

Artist and maker

Hi, I’m Louis. I am autistic and have an intellectual disability. I’m 28 years old, and pottery is one of the ways I express myself and find balance. Working with clay helps me slow down, focus, and create without pressure. I began working with clay at a local studio in early 2025 and quickly discovered how grounding time at the wheel could be. Pottery became a way to slow down, quiet the mind, and let my creativity flow freely.

Creativity plays an essential role in how I navigate the world. Pottery has become a calming and therapeutic practice for me - a place where the noise quiets and focus can settle.

Rather than aiming for perfection, I focus on form, texture, and how a piece feels when it’s held and used. The result is pottery that feels personal, calm, full of character and made to be part of everyday life.

Louis with glasses and a black hoodie sitting at a table, engaged in sculpting clay. He is working on a clay octopus. The table is covered with newspaper and paper towels, with a large window behind him showing a parked blue car and green foliage.

The Alpine Outlaw - A Tribute to the Cheeky Kea

I am excited to share my latest work for the upcoming IHC Art Awards, which celebrate the creativity of artists living with intellectual disabilities.

For this year's entry, I decided to sculpt a native New Zealand Kea. These birds are majestic and beautiful, but I was mostly drawn to them because they are famously cheeky and mischievous—a personality trait I think we definitely share!

This piece was a true labour of love:
• Time:It took over 10 hours of focused hand-sculpting.
• Technique:I used a layering approach, carving and shaping every single feather individually by hand.

If you’re in the area, I would love for you to see it in person at the IHC Awards exhibition. I’ll post the specific dates and details here as soon as they are announced.

Ceramic sculpture of a dog's head on a wooden surface.
Young black and tan mixed breed dog sitting on grass in garden with orange dahlia flowers in the background.

Huntaway Hazel

This is a piece close to my heart.

I made it as a special gift for my mum, featuring our beloved New Zealand Huntaway, Hazel!

Huntaway’s are truly a farmer's best friend, the backbone of rural life here in New Zealand, helping farmers daily. This piece aims to showcase the incredible beauty, unwavering loyalty, and diligent hard work that defines these dogs.

Hazel embodies all of these qualities - she’s such a lovely, kind companion who brings joy to my life every single day.

Dogs truly are our best friends!

INQUIRE TODAY ABOUT CUSTOM PET POTTERY
INQUIRE TODAY ABOUT CUSTOM PET POTTERY

Special Olympics Club Member

Louis with glasses and short, light brown hair, wearing a black hoodie with a Special Olympics logo on the chest, standing against a plain white wall.

I am also a dedicated athlete and a lifelong football fan, with a deep connection to the game.

When I’m not cheering on Arsenal Football Club or in the pottery studio you’ll likely find me on the pitch!

I am a proud member of my local Special Olympics Club, where I train once a week. These sessions are a highlight of my week, not only for keeping up my fitness, but they also provide a fantastic social outlet where I can connect with my teammates and the local community. Football has taken me further than I ever imagined. One of the most significant milestones was traveling to Germany to represent New Zealand as part of special Olympic world games in 2023.

Why Choose my Work

A pottery wheel in use with hands shaping clay, surrounded by various pottery tools, a sponge, and containers with sculpting tools.

Genuine
process

Every piece is shaped by hand or at the wheel, guided by feel rather than rigid plans or mass production.

Close-up of a person shaping a ceramic pot on a pottery wheel, with hands covered in clay.

Approachable
and open

The work is shared openly and honestly, with space for conversation and curiosity about the process.

Hands shaping wet clay on a table with a pottery wheel in the background.

Neurodiverse
perspective

My way of experiencing the world shapes how the work is made - with attention to rhythm, balance, and calm.

Close-up of a person carving a design into a ceramic vase with a metal carving tool.

Thoughtful
pacing

Pieces are made in small batches, one piece at a time, allowing for time, care, and focus at every stage.

Louis with glasses painting a ceramic figure with pointy ears and with orange details at a cluttered table covered with newspapers in a room with shelves and a window.
Louis painting a Dr Who skull sculpture at a table with newspaper and paint containers, by a large window with a parked car outside.
Louis working on a pottery project at a table with various clay and ceramic tools, surrounded by newspapers, with a window showing a parked car outside.
Louis with glasses is sitting at a work table, holding a ceramic sculpture with upright ears. The table has tools and newspapers on it, and there are bicycles and shelves in the background.
Louis painting a unicorn sculpture with red paint at a cluttered workspace.

START YOUR UNBOUND CANVAS STORY NOW

Explore the work or get in touch to create something special.

EXPLORE THE WORK
EXPLORE THE WORK

Contact Louis directly…

Let's chat

If you’d like to know more about my work, ask about a piece, or talk through a custom idea, feel free to get in touch. I’m always happy to hear from you.

Louis working with clay on a pottery wheel in a ceramics studio.