My work explores the interaction between the land and the sea. I am fascinated by the ever changing landscape sculpted by the elements and try to capture this through colour, form and texture. I think that this stems from growing up in Cornwall, it is a beautiful yet rugged landscape surrounded by the coast. I have spent a lot of time investigating the many beaches, isolated coves and tin mines around the area, as well as abroad.
The inspiration for my work has been derived from various aspects of the shoreline, rock formations, crags and lines, pools, erosion and texture all having a place somewhere in my work. The sea with its wealth of colour and endless energy has always been of dramatic influence to me. The curl of a wave or the form of a shell, both hold them within the spiral, a symbol found throughout nature, representing movement and regeneration. This simple yet powerful form flows within my work adding a calming dimension, as does the blue to the otherwise rugged and weathered exterior of some pieces. My recent work is inspired by the boat and shipwrecks found along the coast, influenced by their structural shape observing how the elements have weathered and corroded the materials over time.
My pieces are built by hand with a coarse, heavily grogged clay using mainly the coiling process. I then cut, reshape and sculpt the form, adding and removing sections as the piece evolves. This results in a spontaneous and instinctive sculpture, which invites the eye to explore it from all angles, in, around, and through. The colours that I achieve are a result of using a variety of different glazes and a rigorous and lengthy firing process. The final pieces have many different qualities, which capture aspects of the coastal environment, land and sea.Exhibited at:
Falmouth College of Art & Design – June 1998
New Designers, London – June
1998 Happs Pottery / Winery, Western Australia – Feb 2000
Willyabrup Arts Prize, Margaret River Wineries, Western Australia - 2000 0 8
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Gaolyard
Pottery Studios