What’s your background?
I’ve been making ceramics since age 8 (49 years ago) but only began selling and exhibiting in 2006 following a suggestion by the tutor at a summer school I attended in raku firing. My ‘day job’ of 30 years was as graphic designer, I gave that up in 2015 to concentrate on my artwork.
Explain what you do in 100 words
I create carefully engineered, modifiable ceramic sculpture. A mix of wheel-thrown, press-moulded and slab-built forms suggest a meld of mechanics with marine and plant life. Often multi-part and at varied scales, each unique sculpture can ‘stand alone’ or combine with others in manifold display opportunities bringing the owner into the creative process. The themes of my work evolve and diversify naturally from plinth to wall, from interior to exterior display and most are of scale-independent forms offering opportunities for up-scaling as statement/garden pieces or down-scaling for jewellery. Examples of my work can be found in private collections around the world.
What five words best describe your work?
Singular, sublime, subtle, sensual, sophisticated.
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently exploring a family of understated, simple forms with an underlying complex geometry. They can be appreciated as individual pieces but take on new dimensions when grouped and arranged in a variety of pleasing compositions. Scale-independent, the forms lend themselves equally to jewellery, tabletop sculpture or garden/public space installation.
Which three artists most inspire you?
James Turrel, Salvador Dali, Frank Lloyd Wright
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Don’t judge your own work (others will do that for you).
Favourite or most inspirational place in Yorkshire?
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Tell us something we don’t know.
My great grandfather, on my mother’s side, was head potter at a factory in Norton on Tees which made ‘brown wares’ (I didn’t know this either until about 6 years ago.)
