Through the practice of ceramics I explore concepts of cohesion, inclusion and transition using clay as my primary resource. I gather and recycle discarded clays from local potters, and use abandoned plastic toys from the seaside near my studio in an act of recovery.
The objects I make hang in the balance between functional and practical and can usually weather the elements for outside display.
Motivated by the performance of pottery and a desire to be outdoors, I often carry pieces to the beach to engage with them in another place. This literal shift in context and viewpoint extends the visceral experience which begins in the studio, to include those unpredictable forces of nature.
One day, small round tiles became clay skimming stones, tossed and lost in a moment at the shore, with remaining footage replacing the void created by this letting go.
Another day, ‘Vent’ a ceramic tower obsessively made with lots of tiny pots thrown off the hump and balanced as high as possible, created the feeling of vertigo when clouds moving overhead gave the illusion the sand was sinking and the tower was toppling!
A third day, ’Clutch’ evolved by pushing and pulling ceramic spades into and out of the tide line as it turned, and waves attempted to out manoeuvre and overwhelm me from retrieving all but a few.
I love that clay work can be poignant and have a life of its own!