Artist's Statement

My aims are to produce ceramics that encourage people to look afresh at the natural world and which are lively, interesting, accessible and affordable. My work is inspired by natural textures, colours and forms, particularly from trees, ferns, lichens and fungi. I enjoy trying to capture something of the feeling of a natural subject in clay, so that the ceramic piece becomes a celebration of nature.

Current Work

I sell my work at my open studio at Bitter Beck Pottery in Cockermouth

Galleries stocking selected pieces:
The Artroom Gallery, 15 High Street, Garstang, Lancashire PR3 1FA
Crown Gallery, 5 Lonsdale Street, Carlisle CA1 1BJ
Colours Gallery, 41 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6QQ
Down to Earth, The Craft Centre, St Mary's Street, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY3 1QY
Farfield Mill, Garsdale Road, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5LW

Technical Information

My work is all hand built using a range of techniques, clays, slips and glazes to achieve the desired result. I use thin impressed slabs to make individual vases, bowls, hanging pieces, wall collages and small sculptural pieces. My work is fired in an electric kiln at 1240-60C. The wall collages are made as individual pieces and then cemented together onto plywood backings. 

Background History

I started making ceramics about 40 years ago, firstly at evening classes, then in a shed in the back garden. I find working with clay absorbing and therapeutic and for me it is the ideal stimulus to creativity.

Nevertheless ceramics took a back seat to other work until in about 15 years ago when I saw a piece by Claudi Cassanovas in Barcelona and decided to be a full time potter. I eased myself into it through a few years of workshops at an FE college then took a year off work to do a professional development diploma for designer-makers.

A year later I opened Bitter Beck Pottery in Cockermouth, Cumbria, and gave up my work as a management consultant.

Before becoming a potter I followed careers in education, marketing and business planning, and then as a freelance management consultant. 

Exhibition History

2007 Farfield Mill, Sedburgh, Cumbria
2007 Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven, Cumbria
2007 Keswick Museum, Cumbria
2007 "Ceramic Inspirations" Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, Cumbria
2008 Farfield Mill, Sedburgh, Cumbria
2008 Fififofum Gallery, Newton, Northumberland
2008 NPA30, PR1 Gallery, Preston, Lancs
2008 "Objects of Desire", Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk, Lancs
2009 Bleachhouse Gallery, Ulverston, Cumbria
2009 Keswick Museum
2010 Portico Library, Deansgate, Manchester

2011 The Beacon, Whitehaven, Cumbria
2011 New School House Gallery, York
2012 Joe Cornish Galleries, North Allerton