A predominant influence in this work is the landscape, but not a static landscape, instead a landscape in time; where things grow, the land moves, geological deposits are built up and most importantly where humankind has intervened and our repetitive, methodic actions have left lasting visual effects on the environment.
Conversely I am also influenced by man-made environments and constructions that have been eroded or transformed through time by the natural forces of sea, wind, rain, frost or sun.

This work is about places and landscapes I has visited or travelled through, but I want to avoid extraneous descriptive detail in my work, instead things are pared down to express the spirit and essence of place and time.

Technical Information

All my work is slab built using a lightly grogged body. With larger pieces initial marks, textures and colours are added before the piece is assembled. When the clay is soft, textures can be made directly onto the clay surface with my hands and fingers. I aim to create depth on the surface of the pieces and do this by applying layers of engobes, slips and underglaze colours when the clay is leatherhard and then build up more layers as the clay dries. I combine this with different methods of mark making directly into the clay surface using a variety of simple tools, some of these being bits of broken stick, ends of paintbrushes and my own fingers.

The work is fired to 1140°C and more layers of engobe are applied before oxides and glossy glaze is used to highlight detail.

I make simple forms that normally have a defined back and front; this allows the surface that is my main fascination to be shown off. I tend to work with a series of similar forms and explore ideas through drawing and painting before committing myself to the ceramic pieces