About me & my work

I was introduced to ceramics at Batley College of Art and Design where I studied on the Foundation course between the years 1973 – 75. From there I specialised in ceramics on the B. A. Hons Three Dimensional Design course at Loughborough college of Art and Design, 1975 – 78, graduating with an Upper Second.

I moved to Brighton in 1979 to qualify as a teacher and taught in the area for some ten years, married and had two sons. I now live in Northamptonshire with my family and for the last twelve years have been the Head of Design and Technology at an Upper School in North Bedfordshire.

When I graduated from Loughborough college of Art and Design I exhibited and sold my work at Batley Art Gallery in a three-person show. Whilst in Sussex I produced individual stoneware slab form ceramic pieces and during my last year there I exhibited and sold work in the Hugo Barclay Designer Connections Gallery in Brighton.

Having given my time to a career in teaching, raising a family and building our home, I have now returned to producing individual pieces of pottery. My current work is in porcelain, which is hand thrown. I also make stoneware slab pots.

One of my fondest memories of studying at Loughborough was the time spent with David Leach who, as a visiting professional, instructed in the craft of wheel thrown pots; we later visited him at his studio and also Colin Kellam in Totness. These experiences strongly influenced and informed my values and beliefs. Form, function and craft are equally important to me and whilst I strive to create finely made pieces that are pleasing both visually and to hold, they are also functional. Harmony and purity of form are central to my current work, inspired by natural forms, as well as the attraction and challenge of mastering the skills necessary to achieve such simple looking pieces.

My slab-pots are constructed and decorated solely by hand, using black slip, glaze and gold lustre. Each piece is the result of many hours work and numerous firings. The inspiration for this work is derived from the study of natural rock forms and architecture, which I am developing within the basic form of a geometric vessel where the juxtaposition of line, shape and form are explored.

The Process Below are examples of the stages required to create my pieces:
Stage 1 - Achieving the shape A finely thrown bowl is made by hand using porcelain.
Stage 2 - Forming the rim The top section of the bowl is then brought out, and the bowl is removed from the wheel.
Stage 3 - Final shaping (1) With the clay leather hard, the bowl is centred on the wheel ready for turning.
Stage 4 - Final shaping (2) Using hand tools, the outside shape of the bowl is turned and formed.
Stage 5 - The finished shape The bowl is left to dry, biscuit fired, then glazed using various techniques. A variety of my own glaze mixtures are used, each the end result of many glaze tests.
Typically, a cycle from start to finish takes a minimum of two weeks. Firing in small batches enables me to experiment more freely with a variety of shapes and glazes. By their own making each piece is unique but I always try to explore something different with each pot.