The very first thing I do when I unload my kiln is to hold each porcelain piece up against the light. One cannot predict how it will be, but it is always unique, delicate and usually translucent!
A seed head, grass, flower, leaf, caught in time – its transient beauty, a memory, an echo,
a reminder of our natural surroundings and the fragility of our environment.
Impressions and casts are made and then I use porcelain paper clay rolled out extremely thinly, almost like sheets of hand made paper. I place these over the original impressions to make a relief and reveal the textures and structure which can be formed into dishes or bowls and flat wall pieces. These are then colourwashed with underglazes and fired to 1300ºC oxidised.
My library of impressions is like a diary of places visited, the surrounding countryside at Upwey and, of course, the garden – evoking memories, a sense of place, and the seasons changing.
In my work I love to celebrate nature, gardens, veggie plots, and landscapes encountered on walks through the Dorset countryside and along the coast, as well as raising awareness of the importance of conserving our natural environment for the future - not just as an impression but as a living reality.