All of my work is individually designed and hand-built in a studio in Poole, Dorset. I use pinch-pot, coil, and slab-building methods with a variety of stoneware clays. Although hand-building is more time-consuming than using a wheel, I find the tactile process of working with the clay very mindful. 

My process often starts with sketches, photographs for inspiration, and small models. Form and finish are both important to my work, and I always aim to create aesthetically pleasing forms. To achieve this, I frequently work with geometric patterns that follow the Fibonacci sequence and transfer these drawings onto wooden formers that help control the profile of the build as it progresses. Examples of these formers are shown in the gallery below.

For many of my outdoor pieces I use a heavily grogged clay, sometimes referred to as crank. This is a slightly gritty clay that contains already fired and ground clay. It makes a great base for hand-building, with a low shrinkage rate when fired. The gritty texture also enhances both the appearance and tactile feel of my work, which is often finished unglazed.

For work that is created for barrel-firing, I use a white stoneware clay with a lower percentage of grog. This allows the surface to be burnished while still retaining the benefits of strength and low shrinkage.

In addition to barrel firing and unglazed, high-fired stoneware, I also experiment with creating wood ash glazes. The process of making an ash glaze begins by collecting the remnants of ash left over from my barrel firings. The ash is washed, sieved, dried, and ground into a fine powder. Finally, it is passed through an ultra-fine mesh, resulting in a dense powder with the consistency of talcum powder. The glaze is made from this refined ash, ball clay, feldspar potash, and oxides to achieve a variety of colours. Although the process is time-consuming, it is very rewarding, yielding unique, natural glazes with a tactile satin lustre.

If you have any questions about my work or methods, you are very welcome to contact me.