My aim as a potter is to explore the idea of being human within ceramics. My work focuses on sculptural human forms, looking at inner and outer presentations of humanity. This is mixed with the concept of how phrases effect us as individuals, positive and negative; alongside the idea of how these become reflections of our inner selves and identities.

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For example, the idiom ‘Black sheep of the family’ this is often looked at as a derogatory term when it’s directed at someone. However, when someone refers to themselves as the ‘Black sheep’ it changes, it’s recontextualised into something positive, something to be proud of. This is something I try to reflect in the expressions that I sculpt into each piece. The ‘Little Devil’s become playful the ‘Black Sheep’s become proud. On the other side of this I have the ’Clever Bunny’s the ‘I Love You to the Moon and Back’s which I try to give a sense of confidence and peace to the postures and expressions. This method of making has become a level of reclamation of putting satire and positivity into what could sometimes be considered insults and an idea of confidence into compliments.

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Something that has stayed consistent for me in my time making is that my work’s purpose is to allow for connections to be made and for what starts out as a lump of clay to become something that evokes emotion in the viewer whether that’s a sense of peace and clarity from a ‘Clever Bunny’ or ‘Head in the Clouds’ or humour and entertainment from a ‘Little Devil’ or ‘You Absolute Cock’

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Clay is my main medium because of the sense of peace that I receive from it. Being able to touch, hear and feel the material that is so open to interpretation is such a privilege. It’s a material that holds memory, that warps and changes, dependant on external factors. When something is handmade you never get the same piece twice and that allows for such growth that it becomes therapeutic to make. I have found

a level of catharsis in sculpting; more often than not my own emotions and experiences go into what I’m making and that creates another layer of personality

in each piece.

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I use clay bodies and additions that at times shouldn’t work together. However,

the process of making them work finding the balance between them has been incredibly satisfying. This is something many potters have done and why I have

such a love for the materials involved in ceramics. Everyone starts out with a

blank slate, a lump of clay and from that so many things can be formed.