Statement

My initial desire to work in clay was kindled in Spain. The interior had left a deep impression: an open desert- like landscape with simple horizon lines and strong earth colours from black to ochre to red. I also discovered the beauty of unglazed pottery, the surfaces enlivened by fire marks, and the strong sculptural forms of unglazed jugs, hints of Africa and early cultures. My interest in the elemental quality of ceramics led me to explore unglazed, burnished, smoke fired work, investigating the direct interaction between fire and earth.

There was perhaps a meeting of the ancient and the modern, the rural and the urban that led me to the making of simple forms, trying to integrate balance and tension, stillness and movement, expansion and the containment of volume, precision and spontaneity. Central to my work is the concept of the vessel, creating associations with sharing, ritual and celebration, reminders of our humanity, our history and connection with nature.

My work has moved on from smoke firing but I have a continued interest in the elemental quality of ceramics. The idea for the current body of work came from looking at geological landscape and how different layers of sediment combine in rock formations and form different strata and textures. This led me to combining opposite materials like stoneware clay with solid porcelain and porcelain slips.

The development of my work is an ongoing process and softer incised lines have appeared in addition to sharp contrasting porcelain lines, applications of areas of solid porcelain and porcelain slips, and the sporadic introduction of colour soften the surface. Exploring texture, the clay body may be rugged or smooth, I experiment with different clays, combinations of different clays and additions to the clay body. Developments and ideas often arise during the process of making, every ending already contains a new beginning.

All pieces are hand built. The work is unglazed and the final surface is achieved by single or multiple firings to 1200°C