Artist Statement

Wildlife and the natural world have always been an important part of my life. They are my inspiration to create ceramics which reflect the beautiful, delicate detail found in nature, such as a dragonfly wing, the scales of a lizard, or an oak leaf. My favourite subjects are insects, small animals and sea life, particularly the bee, hedgehog, owl and seahorse.

My ceramic designs are handmade using hand building and sculpting techniques, so no two pieces are the same. I make single items such as bees and dragonflies and then incorporate them into larger functional pieces such as bowls, lidded boxes and vases. After each piece is biscuit fired I use brush on high fired stoneware glazes which are applied in various combinations to produce subtle colour effects within the glazes. The glaze fired pieces have lustres applied over the glaze in particular areas and are fired for a third time to achieve a unique colour and sparkle to each piece. A lustre such as mother of pearl creates the iridescent sheen on a bee’s wing.

I studied ceramics at North Staffordshire University, specialising in large sculptural pieces. After graduating I taught for eight years while also exhibiting my ceramics in solo and group exhibitions. I create my work in my studio in Hayfield set amongst the stunning landscape of the High Peak which is always an inspiration to me.

My ceramics reflect the beauty of the natural world and make a uniquely individual and lasting gift.