The starting point for my work is always walking and sketching. I'm inspired by the forms, patterns and textures in the world around me –the mesh of branches on wintry trees, the geometric patterns in eroded rock faces or the intricate structures of pods, leaves and petals.
For me, the process of making is an absorbing and intuitive one, abstracting and developing ideas triggered by my sketches and interactions with the landscape. In the studio I work with a range of stoneware clays and enjoy the way the forms I build are affected by the differences in structure of these clays. All my pieces are hand built using a range of techniques; pinching, coiling and slab building. Once the initial form is created, it goes through a series of manipulations - smoothing, paddling, refining – until I'm happy with the shape. The piece is then allowed to dry slowly and during this phase the surface is altered by hand carving into the clay. The form the carving takes is determined by the shape of the vessel. As the piece gradually dries it can be refined by degrees.
Once complete the form is allowed to fully dry over a period of several days. Sometimes oxides are brushed on before biscuit firing to 900C.
After the initial firing, I then move on to glazing the work. The glazes I use are all made up by me from dry ingredients which allows me to make subtle alterations to the opacity or gloss of the final glaze. The pieces are fired to around 1200C. The glazes are chosen for their texture and visual interaction with the clay. Some pieces are left unglazed but are burnished by hand and then smoke fired with organic materials in an outdoor fire pit to develop subtle variations in tone and colour.
Education
2014-2015
Diploma in Glass and Ceramics
National Glass Centre, University of Sunderland
2007 -
Printmaking and ceramics courses
West Dean College
2003 -
Sculpture courses
Elizabeth Frink School of Sculpture
1997-1999
MA Conservation of Fine Art
University of Northumbria
1994-1995
BTEC Diploma in Art and Design
Leeds College of Art
1991-1994
BA (Hons) Architecture
University of Nottingham
Selected Exhibitions and Shows
2018
Art for Youth North Exhibition, Yorkshire
2018
Watermark Gallery, Harrogate
2017
Zillah Bell Gallery, Yorkshire
2016 -
Bealach Gallery, North West Highlands
2016
Emerging Potters Exhibition, Bils and Rye Gallery, Yorkshire
2016
Art for Youth North Exhibition, Yorkshire
Hand carved grey stoneware, sky blue glaze
£
50
Sold
60x80x80mm
Hand carved grey stoneware, sea green glaze
£
50
Sold
60x80x80mm
Hand carved grey stoneware, sea green glaze
£
190
Sold
150x240x330mm
Hand carved grey stoneware, white glaze, 22ct moon gold leaf
£
250
Sold
100x200x200mm
90x150x150mm £220
Hand carved grey stoneware, white glaze, 22ct moon leaf
£
250
Sold
100x310x140mm
Hand carved grey stoneware, smoke blue glaze
£
250
Sold
120x370x160mm
Smoke Blue Glaze 100x290x130mm £190
Hand carved grey stoneware, turquoise glaze
£
170
Sold
220x140x80mm
sky blue glaze - 250x150x80mm £180 available
Hand carved grey stoneware, sea green glaze
£
180
Sold
100x140x140mm
Hand carved grey stoneware, sky blue glaze
£
180
Sold
120x120x120mm
Hand carved grey stoneware, white glaze
£
160
Sold
210x180x180mm
Off White 110x110x110mm £90 Storm Blue 150x160x160mm £150
Hand carved grey stoneware, glazed with aqua glaze
£
130
Sold
140mm x 270mm x 200mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with sea green glaze
£
50
Sold
100mm x 180mm x 180mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with indigo glaze
£
90
Sold
140mm x 220mm x 220mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with aqua glaze
£
140
Sold
100mm x 260mm x 150mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with Sky Blue glaze
£
40
Sold
80mm x 130mm x 130mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with sky blue glaze
£
50
Sold
100mm x 140mm x 140mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with aqua glaze
£
50
Sold
100mm x 140mm x 140mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with sea green glaze
£
50
Sold
90mm x 130mm x 130mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with aqua glaze
£
140
Sold
110mm x 220mm x 220mm
Contour Vessel (Sky Blue) 110mm x 220mm x 220mm £130 sold
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with dark teal glaze
£
40
Sold
100mm x 180mm x 180mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with white glaze
£
140
Sold
80mm x 160mm x 140mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with sky blue glaze
£
170
Sold
170mm x 300mm x 250mm
Hand carved, grey stoneware, glazed with sea green glaze
£
180
Sold
130mm x 380mm x 180mm