About me

"Although born in Britain, I grew up in the South Island of New Zealand. Witnessing the power of nature in action generated a lifelong fascination with the complex forms that wind and water can create. I completed an honours degree in botany at Otago University, adding an abiding love for plants. These two elements are the foundation for organic interpretation in my ceramic work.

My journey with clay began in 2016. My first encounter, during an art foundation course, led to the completion of an NCFE in ceramics, then on to the first year of an Applied Arts degree at Glyndwr University where I gained a good grounding in hand-building and throwing. I recognised a lean towards usable art in the form of tableware and in 2019 transferred my studies to Clay College. I graduated from Clay College in December 2021.

While throwing, I feel a link between the rhythm of the wheel, the texture my fingers create in the clay and natural forms I am drawn to, particularly the textural patterns of sand and rock shaped by water. I allow my hands to express both the rhythm and the unpredictability of natural forces, creating powerful throwing lines with an element of chaos rather than regularity, often pushing the vessel to a point just short of collapse, yet retaining a degree of resolve at the rim.

The connection to place is also important to me and most of my vessels are decorated with slips, shards of clay, or my blue celadon glaze, all made from different clays found on our family farm, furthering the bond between object and maker."