Process, Place and Practice
My work is rooted in a quiet, considered approach to making - shaped by material, guided by process and grounded in the rhythm of the studio
Meet The Maker
I grew up in a creative family in St Ives, Cornwall and enjoyed creating art through my teenage years. I moved away to Devon at the age of 17 and pursued different jobs in estate agency, the police service and in education supporting children with additional needs. None of which included making art!
It was only on the return to living in my hometown in 2010 with my then young family that I started experimenting with painting, printing and surface pattern design, obviously inspired all over again by my surroundings.
Pottery making had been a long held ambition of mine to try and I was fortunate to take some basic throwing lessons with master potter Adrian Brough. Needless to say I was immediately hooked and have not looked back since. I quickly bought myself a Leach kick wheel and secondhand kiln to set up in the corner of our garage, practicing a lot!
I soon started supplying galleries in the county with my pottery and showing in local fairs and exhibitions. After Covid, I was able to offer beginner's throwing lessons from my newly converted garage space and continue to expand this part of my small business.
Now, with my children fully grown and a new pup (Barnaby, our show cocker spaniel with paws the size of a lion!), my practice continues to evolve. I create wheel thrown, carved, painted and glazed pieces in local clay inspired by the textures, colours and rugged beauty of the Cornish landscape.
My love for creating with clay continues and I hope it never ends!
The Pottery
The garage is home to my traditional Leach kick wheel, electric wheel, wedging table, kiln and shelving.
I am able to adapt the shelving to provide additional space when I'm teaching and it works a treat.
There are a number of completed pieces on display in the pottery and in the house which act as inspiration for my students
which are also available to purchase from me direct - just drop me a message if you want to visit.
Garden Studio
My studio is at the top of the garden which means a careful walk up and down the steps with all my pots!
It is perfect for decorating and glazing my work and enjoying a nice bit of sunshine in the summer.
I love this space and it is filled with all my odd little collections, my beach-found treasure and the walls are filled with lots of inspirational pictures.
Process
I use white stoneware clay sourced from a clifftop quarry at St Agnes on the north Cornish coast to create my pottery. The pots are thrown and turned on a traditional Leach kick wheel and then decorated in my studio at the top of the garden.
After drying, the pots are fired twice in an electric kiln powered by renewable energy in the pottery.
Surface decoration
My pottery is distinguished by a variety of surface decoration techniques, including carving, mishima, sgraffito, and freehand painting. These techniques create pieces that are not only visually appealing but also have a tactile quality that makes them unique and special.
I actively encourage my customers to touch and feel the intricate patterns and textures that are an essential part of my pottery.
My pottery pieces are deeply influenced by the natural surroundings of my Cornish coastal and rural environment. I am always on the lookout for inspiration and natural tools when I'm out for a dog walk.
One of my favourite tools is a rusty fisherman's knife that I found on Lelant beach (my uncle swears it's his as he lost his in the 60's when he was working on grandad's boat - stranger things have happened and wouldn't that be magical if it was his?!). I use this on a lot of my pieces as it leaves gorgeous striations in the clay surface when used for faceting and a lovely sharp line when used for mark making.
Through my decorative pottery, I aim to capture the essence of the place, using form, colour, texture, and pattern.
