Who are you and where are you? I live and work in rural Suffolk in the east of the UK, not far from the sea. I trained in ceramics as part of my degree in Fine Art, at Canterbury Christchurch University. I am a member of the Anglian Potters association and I like to sell my pots at art and craft markets.
How do you make your pots? I hand build my pots either by coiling, pinching or 'slab building' with sheets of clay rolled by hand. I also make small dishes as well as 'flatware' like buttons, badges and wall-hanging work. The buttons and wall pieces are cut from these clay sheets too. Sometimes I mix paper fibres with the clay for strength, which allows me to work with even thinner sheets resulting in lighter work (the paper burns away in the kilns). Each piece is slightly different in height or proportion, and in the glazing. When the my bottles or pots stand together in small groups, these slight differences give them a sense of movement and character which brings them to life.
What are they made from? I use various types of clay such as red or white earthenware, white firing stoneware clays, porcelain and even clay dug from a building site! I love experimenting with different clays and glazes for their subtly different colours and surface qualities, so I don’t often make much of the same thing; once a set has sold, that’s it!
