While running my own advertising agency for many years I started attending ceramics classes and my passion for the art form was ignited.
The precision and challenges of wheel work instantly resonated with me. After years of ceramics lessons with local teachers, and reading as many books on ceramics as I could lay my hands on, I took the plunge and spent time in Tuscany at the renowned international La Meridiana Ceramic School, where I was exposed to experimentation, collaborative interaction with International students, different clay mediums, techniques and types of firing. Under the guidance of British ceramicist Caroline Genders, I concentrated on coiling and surface decoration with Vitreous slips. Italian ceramicist, Lucca Tripaldi, took my work in a new direction with porcelain wheel work and surface techniques of water etching, metallic/ water soluble salts, lustres and sands. And so began my love affair with porcelain, vitreous slips and the alchemy of metallic salts. A scarcity of literature on salts led to my spending many hours working out my own combinations of water soluble salts and experimenting with decorative and brush techniques, resulting in some exciting and unique results. While still creating stoneware and earthenware, the challenge of working with porcelain allows me to further push creative boundaries. Its translucence produces shadowy interplays of light. It is delicate to work with, yet strong when fired. The whiteness of porcelain accentuates the subtle colours of soluble salts, creating “water colour effects” unachievable through traditional glazes. Despite their delicate quality…my porcelain pieces are robust and functional. People can use them and enjoy them, on the table, in the oven, as well as being decorative. I create “Beautifully Functional Ceramics”. |