I describe myself as a maker of ceramic, but this title does not really cover everything that I do. Clay has its limitations and to fulfil the completion of a design I often have to explore other techniques and materials, resulting in mixed media pieces. I love these combinations ... ceramic and metal ... ceramic and wood ... ceramic and glass, but there is always the element of clay and this material will, more often than not, be the foundation of a piece of work. The manipulation of clay in the hand and its response is always an exciting experience, the way it can take any form or texture you chose to express - it is like no other material.
My inspiration mainly comes from the natural world - plants, rocks, sand, seeds, textures, landscapes. Visits to the Inner Hebrides, where I have family, have also had an influence on my work; it is a unique place where all types of weather often happen in one day. Bad weather is dark and dramatic and yet when the sun appears the colours take your breath away. It is not always instant or obvious but these things often appear in my work somewhere with a texture, shape or glaze.
Most of my work is fired in an electric kiln, which is fine but it does not satisfy the pyromaniac in me, so when I get the chance I also make work that I can put in the soda kiln and occasional raku firings. These processes are much more sensory ... you can see the glazes melt, feel the heat of the fire, smell the smoke in the air. It seems always unpredictable and alive … it becomes addictive.
In August 2022 we moved to the Isle of Arran, I am very excited to join a wonderful art and makers community on this very special island.
