I’ve been passionate about art & design my whole life. For as long as I can remember I have loved drawing or making things. After leaving school I went to Art college taking A levels in Art, Sculpture and Printmaking, and then went to the School of Jewellery at Birmingham University. However, I decided not to pursue jewellery making as a career (long story) and went on to other things.
I discovered my love of clay about 30 years ago, and have picked it up and put it down as life and the need to eat got in the way. Now I’ve found my way back to it and I am enjoying emmersing myself in this medium from my home studio set in Lincolnshire, England.
I think clay is a fascinating medium to work in. I love to throw and handbuild – sometimes both on the same pot, often carving it. If what I make doesn’t work or meet the grade, I chuck it in a bucket of water and recycle it into a new piece.
Everything I make is handmade, I don’t slip cast. So if you do buy one of my pots you know it will be unique, and the only one like it in the world.
My carved pots take many hours to make. I start by throwing a small bowl shape pot (for the base), which is turned when leather hard and then hand rolled coils added to the desired shaped and height. Once the shape is ok I let the clay stiffen a bit more and then start carving. The majority of my pieces are hand painted with at least 2 different glazes using a technique called layering. Each layer will consist of at least 2 coats in order to get the depth of colour. Each one having to dry in between. It takes lots of time and experimenting to get the look you see.