Artist information
I grew up in an artistic household surrounded by pictures and Staffordshire china. The influence can be seen in my work.
After an academic start to adult life at the age of 24 I went to Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts to study Paper Conservation. I remained a paper conservator working for major museums and collectors until recent retirement.
About fifteen years ago I joined a ceramics course in Oxford and have never looked back. I loved working with my hands and the creativity that was possible but despite gritted teeth and determination got no pleasure from throwing, too mechanical for me. Instead I discovered slip casting and immediately related to the potential, especially given my love of design and decoration. I am also doing much more hand building of one offs.
I have exhibited during Oxford Art weeks for many years and Art at Christmas in Summertown. This year I became a member of WOA, a lovely inclusive gallery in Bampton, Oxon. which I have greatly enjoyed. Due to a clash of commitments I will be doing my art weeks exhibition with them this year and feel flattered that they have accepted me given the number of people wanting a place in their group exhibition.
Exhibition information
Find me at Bampton Gallery, Oxfordshire, OX18 2JH as part of a group exhibition.
I find myself continuously drawn to flora and fauna so this year my whole show will be based on this apart from a couple of experiments with the japananese nerikomi technique. I have a lot of new work and have concentrated on decoration, primarily using coloured slips in a painterly fashion. Basic shapes are often slip cast but then manipulated into something else such as the dove lamps and peacock. Colour and design predominate, slip casting makes the process quicker and more consistent. Porcelain is my favourite clay, it is very fine allowing a refined finish, and white which is great to paint on, no dull colours. It happens to be strong as well,
but I do use stoneware when the design lends itself such as my very rustic lions.