Artist's Statement

The core of this body of work is a celebration and dedication to the natural world.
My sculptures are explored and inspired by my relationship and fascination with nature, the land and the environment. My emotional and intellectual involvement with my subject provides the springboard for formal innovations.
Current inspirations stem from places that captivate and hold an emotional and visual pull, from certain areas of coast, moor-land, field, and wood, to the uninhibited growth of lichens, mosses, fungi and flower. The macro and the micro. I‘m exploring the rare, the everyday, the endangered, the ordinary and the spectacular.
I Work with paper clay of my own mix, which enables me to create my desired delicate, organic, fronded, ephemeral forms full of movement, energy, detail and patina. Drawing, repetition and layering are integral to my work. Bombarding the ceramic surface with colour, pattern and imagery helps to further communicate my ideas to the viewer. I use the computer as a tool to manipulate my two dimensional imagery and photography into complex floral patterns. These layer the ceramic surface via digital transfers thus creating an exciting juxtaposition between traditional ceramic processes and the digital.

Technical Information

I employ different methodologies of making depending on the requirements of the individual piece. Most of my work is hand built but I also press mould and throw and alter forms.
My clay body is Earthenware Professional Earthstone to which I add a mixture of cotton linters and flax. These are beaten with a glaze mixture to keep the fibres long thus enabling me to work with paper-thin sheets of clay.
For added strength work is high fired at biscuit (1180º) and the shrinkage rate is low (7%)
Pieces undergo multiple firings, which include the layering of slips, which are burnished into certain areas of the piece; under-glazes are sprayed onto the piece at green ware as well as at biscuit giving added depth and hues of colours. I use a commercial transparent glossy glaze (1080º), transfers are collaged onto the piece and fired at 900º and lustre’s (720º).

Exhibition History

2010 – Wolf & Badger. London
2010- Collect, Saatchi Gallery

2009- The Scottish Gallery
2009 –Origin, Somerset House, London.
2009 – Winter Wonders. New Ashgate Gallery
2009 – Ornament. Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery
2009 - Cebiko, 5th World Ceramic Biennale. Korea
2009 – Gallery 2, Ipswich
2009- Ceramics Open, Roya2009 – Aspex, Portsmouth

2008 - Suffolk Open, Bury ST Edmund's Art Gallery
2008 - Ebb + Flow, Peter Pears Gallery, Aldebrugh
2008 - Art in Clay, Hatfield House
2008 - Apple Yard Gallery, Norfolk
2007 - Objects of Desire, Royal Birmingham Society Of the Arts

2006 - Pyramid Gallery,  Chester
2006 - Effervescence, Sussex Barn Gallery
2006 - Springboard at Origin, Somerset House
2006 - Black Swan Arts,  Somerset
2006 - Setting Out, Contemporary Ceramics, London
2006 - Oriel Davies Gallery, Wales

2005 - Richard Dennis Gallery, London
2005 - East London Design Show, London
2005 - The London Design Show, London
2005 - New Studio Olney, Bucks 
2005 - Art in Clay, Hatfield House, Hertfordshire
2005 - New Designers,  Islington Design Centre
2005 - Degree Show, Camberwell College of Arts
2005 - Group Exhibition, Centenary Gallery, London

Background History

Education
2002/05 - BA (Hons) Ceramics, Camberwell College of Arts, London.
1997 - Business Foundation course, Princes Trust, London.
1994/95  - Foundation, Camberwell College of Arts, London

Awards
2009 –Grants For Arts. Arts Council England 
2009 –Cebiko- Honourable Mention, 5th world Ceramic Biennale Korea 
2008 - Crafts Council Development Award
2005- Highly Commended, Craftsman Student Award

Commissions

2010 - Commissioned by interior design company Candy & Candy to work in collaboration with company Haberdashery London to produce a ceramic chandelier comprising of two hundred and twenty gold porcelain leaves. The chandelier is to be housed in the dining room of the show flat for the prestigious apartment block, Number 1 Hyde Park.;
2005 - 08 - Various private sculpture commissions.
2004 - Commission by The Bellenden Renewal Team, Southwark Council.

Publications

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