This is my story about how I transform mud and minerals into high fired, glazed, sculptural forms. It’s a bit of a process that I’ve been doing for a few decades now. My main concern is with shape, texture and colour. I like to contrast the rough with the smooth. Watch me working in this video – mixing glazes from scratch and applying them. In the following blog I’m going to explain my history – how I got going and how I go about it all.
Ceramic Herstory
I have been working with ceramics since I was 17. The first lot of facilities where I got my hands dirty were at Amersham college but to begin with there was no class I could participate in – so close, yet so far! I spoke with the teacher about what I needed to do in order to have a go. He said, “Gather 14 students and I’ll make an A Level class”. I was so desperate to try my hand at clay that I went straight to the college canteen and spoke to every arty type I could find. It didn’t take me long to collect 15 creative souls. Then the fun began – we started off with Raku!
Working on the wheel felt like I had done it before, it felt so natural. I wasn’t aware that I could’ve studied ceramics for my degree, otherwise I would have. Instead I took evening pottery classes during my studies and throughout my adult life.
1987 – A level ceramics
1987 – teaching ceramics, French Woods summer camp, NY.
1993 – I shared Emerald St, ceramic studio, Bloomsbury with ceramicist Mandee Gage. I was selling my wares at Camden market.
2012 until 2020 – I studied under Emilio Alaminos in Granada Province, South of Spain.
2025 – I completed an online course with Canadian ceramic technician Sue McCleod – The Art of Glaze Chemistry.
The making process
My studio is in the El Carmel neighbourhood of Barcelona. I have an electric kiln, with an interior height of 54cm. I fire to cone 9 and above – 1260°C.
When I approach clay, I do not start off with an idea, instead I doodle with it until it reminds me of something and then I encourage what I see. Always listening to the materials – guiding rather than forcing. The Arts and Crafts movement from last century called it, “Truth to Materials”. Never hiding what the piece is made from but instead even leaving bare clay, with natural marks made by the bag it came in.
I’m interested in the female form for it’s beauty but also because women are under or mis-represented. I elevate my female sculptures to the ranks of Goddess, Duchess and Queen!
Clay – a spiritual practice
The clay comes alive in my hands and I find making a spiritual practice. I observe my hands working, without thinking. I value my clarity when I make art – no caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or anything else that can fog my vision or disrupt my flow. I sometimes need to sit still and meditate before I approach a new piece – centre myself in stillness. I always start work in a clean studio, observing health and safety by wet wiping all surfaces. I sometimes channel my anger into what I’m making, letting my frustrations inform the piece – tearing, rolling and squidging the raw clay.
Archiving
I’m disciplined in archiving photos of what I make and my filing system goes back to 1986. This website also documents the descriptions for each piece.
My sculptures are high fired and durable, they can happily be kept outside. They have good structure, even though they sometimes look like relics that were dug from the ground and are barely held together. Ceramic art is a life long passion. I love seeing what comes out of me. I sell my sculptures online, in person and in galleries. All my art is for sale – for example, you could become the guardian of The Duchess!
Buy me a coffee
And because you know how much love and time goes into researching and producing these articles, I’m simply asking for a gesture in return – buy me a coffee or two to keep my artistic momentum fuelled. It’s an easy way to support my work while you get an insight into my arty world.
Or even better, take a browse through my online art gallery. Studio visits can be arranged or you can go and see my artwork at the Shimmy gallery!
