Artist statement

Pottery is a very tactile craft. Throughout the process of making I try to keep the clay’s soft and plastic qualities alive. In formulating glazes from naturally occurring local materials, I usually try to do the same, that is, enhance those plastic qualities I so respond to. The attempt is to make objects which are both practical and delightful to use and which at the same time enrich our visual and tactile environment.

Training

• 1957-1961: Bryanston School, Dorset; studied pottery under Donald Potter (a student of Eric Gill)
• 1962-1965: Cambridge University; studied Natural Sciences Tripos (Medicine). Honours Degree
• 1966 -1967 Hammersmith College of Art, London; one-year postgraduate course in Ceramics.

Potteries

• Started first pottery in Edburton, Sussex. Two-chambered wood- and oil-fired kiln. Ash-glazed stoneware and porcelain.
• Moved pottery to larger premises at Woods Place Farmhouse in Sussex.
• Moved pottery to Cornwall. Built a wood-fired Korean climbing kiln. Used only local materials for the bricks. Started making glazes from local granites, clays, wood ashes, irons, ochres, etc.
• Asked by Survival International and Oxfam to build a large climbing Korean kiln, similar to the one in Cornwall, in the central jungles of Peru for the ‘Amuesha Indian Project’ aimed at keeping the indigenous people in their natural home. Spent 6 months there under the guidance of the American project leader, Connie Talbot.
• Moved pottery to Cumbria, concentrating on using local materials, granites, hornfels, andesites, irons, ashes etc. in the making of my glazes.
• Pottery at Manor Farm, Cheddington, Beaminster, Dorset.
• Moved to present pottery at Dove Workshops.

Teaching

• Full-time 1981-1986 at Cumbria College of Art, Carlisle, first as Senior lecturer, then as Head of Department of the Vocational Pottery Course
• Part-time at Farnham College of Art, Surrey in 1972, also from 1972-74 at Medway College of Art, Kent, 1974 Harrow College of Art, Middlesex and 1977-78 at Royal College of Art, London.