I grew up in Northumberland, influenced by its weathered places: hills, seas or rivers.
My workshop is now in rural Norfolk, where I make sculptural pots built from coils of clay. They are made in response to the eroding landscape and its history.
Some try to capture the timeless joy of moving water, birdsong or stillness; others contain hidden birds. The birds are carved into the clay surface. They are barely noticeable, concealed within the natural surface colouring.

Others use impressions of Beth Walsh's linen lace to create the textures of windblown reeds and trees.

The surface marks arise after smoking the burnished, porous pots in natural material collected close by.
Some are pit fired in wood. Added oxides react with the heat of the flames, leaving explosions of colour on the surface of the pots.

Having controlled the shape: the sense of uplift and poise, I love the unpredictability of the emerging markings. The bare, unglazed vessels feel somehow ancient and tactile, inviting quiet reflection and a search for significance within yourself.

Like the landscape, my pots are formed by a process of erosion.

BACKGROUND
I came to Norfolk to join a degree course in Fine Art, Sculpture. Returning to Norwich after a post graduate course, I taught sculpture and ceramics for many years at a local comprehensive school, adult education centres, in primary and special needs schools. Now, I concentrate on developing my work from my studio, selling through galleries.
I exhibit regularly and teach sculpture and pottery to students of all ages