I describe myself as a maker of ceramic, but this title does not really cover everything that I do. Clay has its limitations and to fulfil the completion of a design I often have to explore other techniques and materials, resulting in mixed media pieces. I love these combinations ... ceramic and metal ... ceramic and wood ... ceramic and glass, but there is always the element of clay and this material will always be the foundation of a piece of work. The manipulation of clay in the hand and its response is always an exciting experience, the way it can take any form or texture you chose to express - it is like no other material.
My inspiration mainly comes from the natural world - plants, rocks, sand, seeds, textures, landscapes. Visits to the Inner Hebrides, where I have family, have also had an influence on my work; it is a unique place where all types of weather often happen in one day. Bad weather is dark and dramatic and yet when the sun appears the colours take your breath away. It is not always instant or obvious but these things often appear in my work somewhere with a texture, shape or glaze.
My inspiration mainly comes from the natural world - plants, rocks, sand, seeds, textures, landscapes. Visits to the Inner Hebrides, where I have family, have also had an influence on my work; it is a unique place where all types of weather often happen in one day. Bad weather is dark and dramatic and yet when the sun appears the colours take your breath away. It is not always instant or obvious but these things often appear in my work somewhere with a texture, shape or glaze.
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