Halen Môn launches new product with illustrations from Portmeirion Pottery founder

Nation Cymru staff

Halen Môn, the Anglesey Sea Salt Company, has launched a limited edition ceramic salt jar in collaboration with Susan Williams-Ellis Foundation.

Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt is made by hand from the waters that surround Ynys Môn. In recognition of its unique qualities, Halen Môn Sea Salt has been awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for Europe and the UK.

The new refillable ceramic jars hold 15g of Halen Môn hand-made pure sea salt and feature illustrations by Susan Williams-Ellis inspired by marine life in rockpools and shallow seas around Britain, including Anglesey.

Susan Williams-Ellis (1918-2007) is best remembered as the founder and designer of Portmeirion Pottery, which she started with her husband in 1960. Susan was the eldest child of Clough Williams-Ellis, the creator of the Italianate village of Portmeirion on the North Wales coast and his wife Amabel, a successful author.

While the ceramics business is no longer owned by the family, Susan’s 1972 Botanic Garden design continues to be the highest selling pattern of the Portmeirion Group.

The Susan Williams-Ellis foundation was established in 2014 to conserve her archive and to ensure her work remains accessible to the public.

Rachel Hunt is Collections Curator at Plas Brondanw, a former Williams-Ellis family home where the Foundation is based. She explained:

“Susan Williams-Ellis would have been delighted to see her artwork on Halen Môn’s salt pots. She was passionate about the sea and, from the 1950s, was known for her innovative method of sketching underwater: ‘I made a waterproof drawing board and found waterproof sheets to work on and made coloured crayons out of stage make up’.

“It seems harmonious that Halen Môn sea salt, from the same waters that provided a source of inspiration for Susan, should now be contained in jars decorated with her artworks.”

The Halen Môn Susan Williams-Ellis Foundation ceramic salt pot jar will be available through independent retailers, delis and farm shops, and direct from the Halen Môn online store.

Jess Lea-Wilson, Brand Director at Halen Môn said:

“We’ve known and loved Susan’s original Portmeirion designs for years so it is a thrill to be able to create a new Halen Môn product which features some of her more personal illustrations. Susan was a believer in the value of artists being involved in the creation of everyday household things and making them accessible to all. We hope we’ve honoured that philosophy through this partnership.”

A celebration event will be held at Plas Brondanw on 24 September, to launch the new collaboration and to launch Halen Môn’s latest publication The Coastal Almanac: The ultimate guide to a year by the sea. The new book, written by Jess Lea-Wilson, charts the seasons through the flora and fauna, recipes and writings inspired by the Welsh coast.

An exhibition of Susan Williams-Ellis’ marine-themed work, Susan and the Sea, will take place at Plas Brondanw in 2028.

Offering behind the scenes tours, the Halen Môn Saltcote and visitor centre, including the Tide cafe, are also an award-winning visitor destination.

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