Ceramic sculpture: wheel-thrown and modelled animals, high-fired for durability. Most clay sculptures are built on armatures, then bronzed at a foundry, but I use entirely wheel-thrown and modelled forms which are then glazed and high fired. Many include features of the animal’s habitat. I am inspired by the harmonious relationship existing between a moving horse and its rider, and between wilder animals like foxes, hares and otters and their natural environment of our local countryside and river Wye. In my sculptures I try to convey mood, texture, movement, wildness and habitat.
Functional and decorative oven-to-tableware: bowls, lidded jars, jugs, teapots, salt pigs and olive/dip bowls with figurines, owl plaques and much more. I remain strongly influenced by the Leach tradition as well as learning from contemporary makers.
Glazes: I make all my own glazes, mostly from local clays sourced from hillsides or river valleys. A bucket of dug local clay, decorated with ochres from Clearwell Caves in the Forest of Dean, make unique glazes, especially in combination with my Chinese celadon glazes, which are made from natural minerals and oxides. These stand alone, but applied over local clay slips together with wax resist décor they create unique interactive glazes. I use stoneware and earthenware clays from Stoke on Trent and fire in an oxidation kiln.
