“WHO AM I? I am a mixed-media artist whose main practice is Ceramics. I studied Ceramics and Photography to degree level at Farnham. I have always practised as an artist and since retiring a little early from teaching Art I am delighted to be a full time Artist. My work explores Memories & Mythos, Identity & Spaces; celebrating Individuality and stories. Each piece is created with joy and a sense of exploration and discovery, they evolve in my hands; I enjoy how each piece finds its own material. I am passionate about clay; I love that I get to work with it every day. I work from home and at Designermakers21 in Diss Norfolk.

MY PRACTICE I make every day. Currently I create Figurative Sculptures, Goddess totems, large Narrative Sgraffito and Decorative, sculptural vessels, there is a story behind each piece. My process involves combining environments with construction and expression: I sketch, I forage, collecting images, recording feelings, emotions, experiences and stories. Memories are transient and ephemeral; my work is an attempt to capture that memory of what I see and experience, representing it in a more permanent form. The central theme within my work is ‘Voices: shared narrative’, within each piece I am trying to capture the story. 

My sketches, memories, my conversations with people and research into the Feminine and Pagan Mythos form powerful influences. When working I surround myself with notes, drawings, and loud music. Once I start manipulating the clay body, the result is a collaboration between my hands and the clay itself; it picks up my gestures and moods, responding and revealing itself. The tactile qualities of clay allow me to make dramatic changes as the final sculpture evolves. This process brings me joy and I hope that joy is conveyed within the final piece

MY PROCESS I use a variety of processes: I hand build, throw, sculpt and carve to create one-off unique pieces, I use mono-printing, and layering, to add colour and texture, experimenting with incorporating wild clay, found and foraged materials into the clay and glazes I am using. My use of glazes, oxides and colourants is also expressive. I work in a variety of high-fire clays, there is something exciting about discovering what each body can do, it’s unique personality. I have recently started using more strongly coloured red and black stoneware; the results are really exciting for me.  I enjoy the serendipity of this way of working and the alchemy of the firing process. For my largest pieces I use reclaimed timbers and chimney pots to create the plinths, adding words to the that record the voices of my subjects.

ENGAGING WITH SPACES AND PEOPLE I like to work with clay on location as much as possible, using the existing space and found materials to physically texture the clay as I work, creating 3d studies of the people and places around me, I am collecting physical impressions, clay sketches to enable me to have a tactile record of the place. My toolbox is full of seeds, stones, shells and bark gathered over the years. I also collect words and phrases, capturing spoken words, sounds and my own responses.

SELLING WORK & WORKSHOPS 

  • On my WELCOME page and Instagram grid I list places you can find me across the year.

  • I mainly sell at markets and ceramic events, I enjoy meeting customers, talking pottery and providing a personal touch. You CAN buy through my website; please contact me by email to discuss purchase and delivery methods.

  • I also work to commission; please contact me to discuss your ideas.

  • I run small group and community workshops so others can enjoy the positive value of working in clay. These will be listed on my WELCOME  page

“A moment of calm; toes connecting with the soil, the sand, the sea.

Eyes closed, listening, breathing deep,

I breathe in the green of leaves, the musk of bark, the sea:

I am whole, I am home”

Exhibitions and events in 2024:  ​ Thank you to everyone who supported me, visited my exhibitions, took part in my workshops, advised me and bought from me. It has been a wonderful year. See you all in 2025

  • JARROLDS Christmas Artist Market: Norwich 9th-16th December

  • NIGHTFAIR EVENTS: Nightfair at Christmas - St Marys Works, Norwich Dec 6th and 7th

  • ROUGHAM ESTATE BLACKTHORPE BARN Christmas Market. November 30-December 1st

  • POTFEST IN THE PENS: Melton Mowbray 31st October-3rd November

  • VOICES EXHIBITION Solo artist exhibition; Norwich Art Shop, Upper St Giles.  6th-19th October

  • 'ONLY-CLAY KELHAM'  Sheffield 5th & 6th October

  • RAVENINGHAM SCULPTURE TRAIL 2024 - 17th July - 8th September

  • CELEBRATING CERAMICS held at Waterperry Gardens from 19-21 July 2024.

  • POTFEST South East at Glynde Place 10th -12th May

  • FERINI GALLERY, Pakefield, Anglian Potters Spring Open Exhibition. 26th April to 27th May.

  • ANGLIAN POTTERS Spring Selling Exhibition The Undercroft Gallery, Norwich - 5th -21st April

  • NORWICH ART MART: the Undercroft. 7th-10th March

  • QUEERFEST My Workshops: Sketchbooking technique - 22nd February 5-7.30 at John Lewis Norwich

  • QUEERFEST Art Exhibition ‘Interrupt’  8 – 24 February  Norwich Undercroft where you can see Reach and Confront

  • QUEERFEST My Clay Workshops: Underglaze a design onto a mug - 11-12pm 18th February Norwich Undercroft

  • QUEERFEST My Clay Workshops: Sgraffito Tiles - 17th 11-1pm February Norwich Undercroft

  • QUEERFEST Art Market 3 February. 10-5pm The Forum, Norwich

  • WORKSHOP ‘Meet the Art’ - MY clay workshop for East Anglian Art teachers hosted by The Sainsbury Centre,  art gallery Norwich. January 13th - full