Work

Thrown textured terracotta cylinders are cut, re-thrown and compressed into ovoid forms. Once opened, they reveal the expressive malleability of the clay in the intricate swirls hidden inside. This soft clay is contained within a firmer outer clay wall, which has been ground to a smooth finish.

The differing clay treatments create a dramatic tension at the rim, as the edge is refined and reduced. The swirling core appears to rise, ready to brim over. The smooth outer wall resists, constraining the flow and hinting at the complex interplay between our private and public selves.

The soft and firm treatments of clay meet in an undulating, wandering rim which dips and rises like a fantastical landscape, frozen in time. The outer clay wall is ground and polished, as if eroded by the elements. It is a way of making which captures the drama of a world in flux: a transition which is simultaneously constructive and destructive.

The beguiling smoothness and luminosity of the surface belies the inherent elasticity, hardness and toughness of porcelain, underscoring the often hidden transitions between strength and vulnerability. The unpredictable cracking which occurs during firing deepens the metaphor and adds a unique beauty to each piece.