In my barrel-fired sculptures, I work with the four elemental forces—earth, air, fire, and water—to evoke the spirit of the Jurassic Coast. The firing process, unpredictable and transformative, mirrors nature’s ability to both build and erode. Each piece bears the unique imprint of flame and smoke, embodying the windswept cliffs, shifting tides, and undulating terrain that define the Dorset landscape.

See the process of barrel-firing in action here.

My seagrass sculptures capture the quiet resilience and flowing movement of underwater meadows swaying beneath Dorset’s coastal waters. Their sinuous, organic forms and earthy glazes reflect the intricate relationships between land and sea, seen and unseen. Seagrass meadows not only shelter marine life but also sequester carbon at a rate far greater than tropical rainforests. These pieces invite reflection on the beauty and ecological importance of these fragile ecosystems, and the threats they face from human activity.

My tide line series explores the contrasts created by wind and wave—the rough and smooth, the worn and the weathered. Working with grogged stoneware clay, I abrade and burnish surfaces to reflect the tactile interplay between erosion and restoration. These textures echo the ceaseless dialogue between land and sea, capturing both the harmony and tension of natural forces in motion.

Barrel firing subjects clay vessels to rapid temperature increases, sometimes causing cracks from thermal stress. After cooling and cleaning, the broken pieces are deliberately reassembled using Kintsugi, the Japanese “golden joinery” method that employs resin and metal leaf such as gold or copper. This process highlights rather than hides flaws, embodying the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which values beauty in impermanence, incompleteness, and imperfection. 

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