Artist Statement

My work is inspired by the joyful connections between the natural world, mythology, history and the concept of homeland.

All of my pieces are thrown or hand built using a very smooth stoneware clay with very little to no grog, this means the clay presents a brilliantly smooth surface for painting and a pale and uniform colour. I love to have the pale buff colour of the clay contrasting with the bright colours of the underglaze and glazes. For these pieces I have used a single colour of rich cobalt blue, called Kings Blue, just diluted in various amounts to allow varying tones of the same colour to create an image. Each piece begins with a pencil sketch directly onto the surface of the bisque fired clay, which is then painted over with underglazes and/or oxides using Italian watercolour brushes from Florence, and then coated with a clear glaze to seal the piece. I love to make use of the traditional blue of delft pottery and chinese porcelain, contrasting against a bright orange, this combination of cobalt blue and bright colours is also seen in Portuguese traditional hand painted pottery. I like to focus more on a single creature, or object and a single circle of rich orange.

I am continually drawn to traditional pottery from all over the world and to depict birds, reptiles and fish, as well the nautical scenes that surround me in my hometown of Brixham, Devon UK.