ABOUT THE WORK
Sculptural porcelain vessels inspired by mountains and winter landscapes.
Tall standing forms and wide-open vessels, wheel thrown from fine white porcelain depicting rugged mountain terrain and winter ice.
My work always begins with memories of walks on mountains and wild places – the Scottish Highland, Lake District and frozen wastes of Iceland.The ruggedness of the landscape, the effort required to reach a summit and feelings of vulnerability and exposure, linger in the memory. Winter mountains are awe inspiring when piercing winds and subzero temperatures sculpt snow cornices and pinnacles appear tantalising out of reach.
Helvellyn
The ruggedness of the landscape, the effort required to reach a summit and feelings of vulnerability and exposure, linger in the memory. Winter mountains are awe inspiring when piercing winds and subzero temperatures sculpt snow cornices and pinnacles appear tantalising out of reach. On my local Ings winter floodwater freezes and subsides creating shelves of delicate ice that are left suspended in mid air.
The process of throwing is methodical and rhythmical - a well-practised sequence of movements as the clay slips through the hands. Much of the decoration is done at leather hard stage, applying gestural sweeps of thick gloopy slip, or wafer-thin slivers and edges or sculpting into the surfaces. Satin white glaze is applied to give a smooth waterproof finish with some special effects glazes such a white crawling and glossy glazes added for textural interest. Designed to be one off sculptural vessels that encapsulate something of the beauty and harmony of the wild places that inspired them.
EDGES, SHARDS AND LAYERS
Breakfast
Ideas