Clay is a malleable material – alive and responsive when in its raw state. It gets progressively harder to manipulate as it dries, becomes fragile. Then it is fired in a kiln and emerges hard and very strong.
As a maker I go through many stages and processes – I begin by responding, moulding, building, shape-shifting. Then there is a period of fragility as the clay dries before the first bisque firing. I then decorate and glaze and try to capture the idea. Finally I come face to face with the finished piece and see the results.
I love the tactile qualities of clay and my approach using this material has developed over many years to be a mixture of fine craft knowledge, informed experimentation and use of surface and form to convey ideas. I incorporate inlaid colours, under and over glaze colours, raw pigments such as copper and manganese oxides and a transparent glaze. I use an electric kiln fired to earthenware temperatures.
I have used soda, raku, stoneware gas reduction and wood firings both in the UK and in America.