I am really pleased to be part of Artists at Shaw for the second year. It is a great venue for both artists and visitors.

In 2016 a ceramic bowl caught my eye in a charity shop. I started to collect more pieces and learn about the history and makers of studio pottery. Having gathered too much I began selling at a local craft market and decided I should really know more about the pottery I was selling. I enrolled in a ceramics evening class at Basingstoke College of Technology in September 2017 and ended up doing three terms before going my own way after that to develop my own style.

I have always loved patterns, textures and colours especially those created in the natural world The coast and woods are great sources for my inspiration. I mostly use shells, pebbles and fossils to indent patterns but have also made stamps recreating patterns in the sand or rocks I have seen at the beach. Textures are usually highlighted with rubbed back underglazes after bisque firing. I hand build my ceramics using moulds and with cupped together pinch pots preferring irregular forms. I use black or white stoneware and terracotta clays. Once I start making a piece it is generally unplanned so that the shape and patterns evolve as I go along.