I have always derived great pleasure from using my hands. I’ve played 'cello and piano and bass guitar. And I get a lot of reward from making useful objects. In the past I’ve constructed boxes and games from mahogany, oak, ash, beech or yew. So it came as no great surprise when, quite unexpectedly, I decided that I needed to learn how to make pottery. My initial training was with David MacDowell at Lacock Pottery and time spent there gave me a solid foundation on which to build.
I make pots in stoneware clay. Having been thrown, moulded or extruded, altered and joined, the pots are usually, but not always, 'biscuit' fired to 1000°C. The final firing is to 1270°C when the addition of salt or bicarbonate of soda at a kiln temperature of about 1240°C can produce the distinctive 'orange-peel' surface texture. I use two types of clay body depending on the size of the piece. Various oxides and stains are used to colour the slips and glazes. Blue, black and green are currently in use - but I have plans for red and yellow!
New skills take a lot of time and dedication to acquire and making pots needs to be a passion. It takes commitment and practice to learn how to work with the clay, to understand what it’s, and your, limitations are. And cold hours spent tending the kiln in freezing conditions needs motivation. The reward comes from making better and better pots.
There are a number of designers and styles which influence my work - from contemporary potters like Walter Keeler, to past designers such as Walter Gropius and Christopher Dresser. My own style continues to evolve.
