I am a recent graduate of Sunderland University and now work as a ceramic artist and teacher in my own small home studio. I have created a successful line of wheel thrown porcelain functional ware using manganese oxide and cobalt oxide mixed with china clay creating a slip which I use to create painterly, illustrative decoration inspired by the rural location of my studio. My works are sold through galleries, visitors centres, local open studios, specific ceramic fairs and local monthly markets as well as my own studio shop and website.

I am now interested in returning to the large vessels I began creating during my time at university and will be looking to develop this new body of work during my time on the AA2A scheme. This ambitious scaling up of my sculptural forms will hopefully progress to a pair of large statement pieces of new work combining throwing and hand building methods, assembling the finished pieces from multiple parts.

I am fascinated by textures both within and on the clay surface and am looking forward to exploring more deeply into specialist textured glazes – including crawling, rough and bubbling surfaces. These experiments will incorporate different firing methods including reduction, raku, and saggar firing with the introduction of natural materials such as seaweed, bracken and cherry wood.

I look forward to sharing these experiments into a new body of work with students both on an ad hoc basis while creating the works, and in a more formal presentation on these ideas and my experience as a working artist since completing my education.