MY STORY
I was brought up ‘potting’ with my grandmother in the garden studio which my grandfather had built. Many happy hours were spent creating anything from clay animals to wheelthrown bowls and it was here where my love for ceramics was born.
The loss of my grandmother meant that I did not pot for many years but having had an early grounding in ‘playing with mud’, my love for it was never lost. I decided to take some pottery lessons with the wonderful Joy Gibbs-Price and my passion was reignited.
It was Joy who pointed out how much my work reflected the style and colours that mygrandmother had used – something which I had not realised previously. I like muted matt and satin glazes which look almost soft to touch as well as the occasional pop of colour – the turquoise that I use is one of my favourites! It was also whilst practising throwing with Joy that I made her very first ‘doughnut’ of clay. Ultimately, that doughnut ended up in the reclaim bucket after much giggling about what on earth to make it into. I left The Pottery that day determined to find something that I could use the ‘doughnut’ for and my doughnut vases were born. They’re now one of my signature pieces and I love throwing each one just as much as I did my first.
Perfection in a piece of pottery to me is a unique piece; a piece which is clearly handmade; a piece with throwing lines evident so you can see where the potter has nurtured the lump of clay into its final form; flowing glazes which intermingle in a way which is down to the magic of chemistry and which can not be exactly replicated from one piece to the next.
I now have my own studio in my garden in North Lincolnshire and from here I produce a range of functional and decorative stoneware. The doughnut vases have already been mentioned. Other pieces include soap dispensers, teaspoon and teabag pots, mugs and my most recent pieces – pots with hand-modelled birds and animals.
MY PHILOSOPHY
My creative process has evolved into a harmonious blend of techniques, combining wheelthrown craftsmanship with the intimate touch of hand building. The wheel offers precision and symmetry, while hand-building invites the organic and tactile. My obsession with the natural world is clear to see in every piece that I create with inspiration coming from corals, fungi and fossils and a life spent scavenging and beachcombing comes through in textures which replicate found items.
I fire my pots either in a woodfired manabigama or in an electric kiln. The alchemy of woodfiring fascinates me - the transformation that occurs within the fiery depths of the kiln, as wood ash interacts with clay and glaze is something out of my control and thus feels like magic. Woodfiring is a reminder of the profound connection between the elements – earth, fire, and air; it gives an unpredictability and uniqueness which brings me great joy. In contrast, electric firings serve as a controlled environment where I meticulously craft the foundations of my work. In these firings, I am able to experiment with glaze chemistry, pushing the boundaries of colour and texture. Crafting my own glazes has become an art form in itself, as I seek to create surfaces that complement the natural aesthetics of each piece.
In my creations, you'll find a celebration of the imperfections and irregularities that are a natural part of handmade items. I embrace the fact that you can see my touch on the clay – marks left in the making process that are there forevermore. I aim to create pieces which are both functional and sculptural. Through my pottery, I hope to share with you the beauty of this ancient craft and its timeless relevance in a contemporary world.
