Artist's Statement

Having moved from Portpatrick on Scotland’s west coast to North Berwick on the east in 2005, I am slowly adjusting to the lack of rain, the cold east wind and salt’n’sauce with my chips!

Sharing a studio with Dave Cohen has been a fantastic experience. Every week I discover a new approach, working method or find myself inspired by his complete mastery of ceramics. It is amazing how versatile and expressive a material clay is, that I can still be learning after 30 years of potting.

Most of my work is hand built, I enjoy a direct relationship with clay. Recently I have been throwing sculptural pieces, although still influenced by the sea and man’s relationship with it. Inspiration is never far away, with the Bass Rock and busy shipping lane from the Forth to the North Sea visible from the studio. I have been exploring this theme for over 20 years and hope that the work is still fresh, vibrant and distinctive. I hope that some of the pleasure I derive from making it is reflected in the finished work.

Current Work

Work Generally Available from:

Morningside Gallery – Edinburgh
Nancy Smillie Gallery – Glasgow
Strathearn Gallery – Crief
Biscuit Factory – Newcastle-upon-tyne
Karen Taylor Fine Art – London
Old Courthouse Gallery – Ambleside

Technical Information

I don’t like making or using moulds and use combinations of hand building and modelling techniques to make most pieces. Some work like the fat sharks and angry whales are thrown and then altered and manipulated. Moulds would be quicker, but plaster and me best avoid each other!

When the work is green I decorate with coloured slips. To emphasise the modelled marks or textures, glaze is removed exposing the coloured slips. The glazes are mostly alkaline copper based and fired in oxidation to 1220 c. The assorted coloured slips and glazes give the work a rich and varied surface.

Background History

BORN Glasgow 1958

EDUCATION
Glasgow School of Art B.A. Hons Design (Ceramics) 1980
Notre Dame College of Education Post Grad (Secondary Education) 1981

EMPLOYMENT
P/t ceramic teacher Various schools East Lothian 2005-present
Self Employed Potter Portpatrick, / North Berwick 2002-present
Job Share H.N.D.Ceramics Cardonald College/p/t potter 1998-‘02
Course Leader H.N.D.Ceramics Cardonald College Glasgow 1993-‘98
Self Employed Potter Founder member City Ceramics Glasgow, 1983-‘93
Art Teacher Calderhead High School Shotts 1981-‘86

GUEST DEMONSTRATOR
Various Throughout U.K 1980-present
Representing Scottish Crafts Nurnberg 1986
Scottish potters Assoc. Loch Lomond 2001
Ceramic User Group Edinburgh 2006

INSTALLATIONS
3 relief murals Town square (Lothian Reg. Council) 1992
3 relief murals Shopping centre (Argyle Group) 1993
Relief mural Church of Scotland 1995
Relief mural Private home, (lochgilphead) 1996

Exhibition History

Festival Exhibition Nexus Gallery Edinburgh 2000
Small Treasures’ Travelling Exhib. D&G Museum Services 2000
The Plate Show Travelling Exhib. Work purchased 2001
Flat Cat Gallery Lauder 2001
‘Summer Capers’ Craft in the Bay Cardiff 2001
‘The Beach’ Rufford Craft Centre Nottinghamshire 2001
The Sea Roads Steadings Gallery Galloway 2001
Select Exhibition Gracefield Arts Centre Dumfries 2001
Glasgow Art Fair Representing Dumfries and Galloway 2002
Figurative Ceramics Rufford Craft Centre Nottingham 2002
Guest Demonstrator Scottish Potters Assoc. 2002
Christmas Exhibition Artifex, Sutton Coldfield 2002
Old Courthouse Gallery Work purchased by Church of England 2003
Art Fair Battersea Gracefield Arts Centre Dumfries 2003
Art Fair Glasgow Gracefield Arts Centre Dumfries 2003
Community Mural Portpatrick P. School 2003
Fire and Earth Rufford Ceramic Festival 2003
Journeys Strathearn Gallery Crieff 2003
Dublin Art Fair Karen Taylor Fine Art 2003
Old Bakehouse Gallery Chichester 2004
Art Fair Battersea Gracefield Arts Centre Dumfries 2004
Fire and Earth Rufford Ceramic Festival 2004
Spring Exhibition Strathearn Gallery Crieff 2005
R.L.Stevenson Exhib. Cone 9 Gallery North Berwick 2006
Christmas Exhibition Studio Fine Arts Renfrewshire 2006
Sea Creatures Cone 9 Gallery North Berwick 2007