ABout me and my Work

I work with clay using hand-building techniques. I find creating texture and the dynamics experienced in building are tremendously exciting in combination; it is often quite challenging as the bigger sheets need to be dry enough to print on but remain pliable enough to use in constructing the walls of my pieces. Collapsing walls in the making process can lead to cracking in any of the subsequent firings. 

Work starts with drawing; a significant part of the process is about really knowing the sources of inspiration. For me drawing is an essential, physical translation process; it isn't enough just to see something, through drawing my hand, eye and brain all inform what I feel and think about. The actual making, rolling out, joining slabs and decorating these new surfaces is a very reflexive stage in the creation of work. Making involves rolling out clay and then printing onto it – sometimes this is repeated or involves another printing process and layers are built up.  Subsequently the stretching out of the clay and the images made on these surfaces is then cut and fabricated into the desired form with broken edges contributing to the development of the shapes as significantly as the initial plans. At the glazing stages some stencil work is carried out to add to effects or develop others.

Intaglio, silk screen and relief printing processes are all used and equally as important as the clay. When printing onto and into surfaces the choices of surface and the materials used to print with make important contributions to surface effects with chance playing some role in the outcome. The implications of these new descriptions once applied to clay gently inform the decisions of construction. The actual forms are very much products of a series of physical processes from drawing, through to building and ultimately glaze firing.  Each piece will be fired to 1000 C glaze firings are varied between 1160 C and 1265 C dependent on the effects I want to achieve. 

All pieces are hand made and therefore unique. The work seen on the website are examples and some may no longer be available if they have been sold. However work can be bought from me in person at the shows listed or as a commission via e-mail or from one of the galleries that my work is sold through. Alternatively you can make an appointment to come to my workshop. 



Shows for 2018

  • 7 November - 24 December Members & Associates 2018

RBSA, 4 Brook Street, Birmingham, B3 1SA


 

I am a member of the Midland Potters' Association with  whom I also exhibit http://www.midlandspotters.co.uk