Artist Biography

In order to appreciate my pieces and understand how I would like to develop my designs and techniques, it is first necessary to show how my work has developed over the years. From GCSE level my work has been described as "Distinctive", "quirky", "creative", "vibrant", "fun" and "spontaneous". This has been a recurrent reaction to my work throughout my artistic career so far. By "animating" subjects chosen by my tutors. I wanted to "bring alive" themes and move them into the living environment. For example for one project at A level based on portraiture and life drawing I created a bodice and skirt stitched with my drawings of the human eye and lips. My aim was to add fluidity and movement to the traditional paper based line drawings and to create a piece that was tactile and useful in the everyday environment.

This animation was also demonstrated in the sheer scale of my pieces. I began almost immediately by working in two dimensions, I created Three dimensional pieces on paper through mediums such as Papier Mache and created textures by adding layers of fabric, tissue paper and Expanderprint. I moved my pieces into the living environment by creating large scale works sizing from A1 to A0.

During my foundation year I developed my distinctive style further. I designed and made jewelry from wire and jelly sweets. My pieces were so successful on a commercial scale, that I sold my work not only to my class mates, but students at the college. As my 2D work continued to developed it too took on a more commercial feel. My textural sample sheet is currently being used at Loughborough school of art and design as a teaching example. Similarly another one of my pieces featuring a technique which I have continued to explore throughout my three years at university - black pen scratched drawing, was so highly regarded by one of my tutors that she offered to buy the piece.

Throughout my time at Plymouth University I began experimenting with clay as a new medium in my pieces. I found plaster mould making and slip - casting an ideal form in which to further develop a freer and more fluid style of work. Through the use of clay my pieces have developed a newer smooth and contemporary shape and texture. I then moved towards rounder, more liquid shapes, demonstrated for example in one of my first pieces a sculptural vase made from four oranges in a condom. The clean round lines and functional purpose of the design lent the piece a saleable quality. I was consequently offered a chance to sell my work to a local retail outlet.

I began to look at the works of Gormley Theweleit's such as "field Kunsthalle Zu Kiel", Andy Goldsworthy, Dale Chihuly and Margaret O' Rourke. Each have a very different way of working, the elements they share is their use of repetition of form to create a striking, tactile and thought provoking pieces. I became inspired by Dale Chihuly's use of colour and application of form. His lighting and sculptural designs became the inspiration for some of my most recent work.

In my third year I wanted to create a dramatic theatrical effects with repeated shapes reflected in my wall hangings, considering the texture of the forms and the repetition. The texture of the small shapes when combined creates a new identity, the individual pieces combining into a mass. I used tones of blue for the glaze to alter the meaning of the structures which, when made out of ceramic, are inedible and blue is an inedible colour. By using blue I took the forms from their natural environment, out of context, confusing their meaning. I chose mushrooms because of their quirky stubby stems and because each one is very individual in its shape and markings. The chilli peppers have glossy skins and grow in vibrant reds and greens, and because of their shape are ideal for grouping together.

I then began using other media such as rubber and wood, for example my rubber okra letter storage. The raw wood of the thick frame against the soft bendy transparent blue rubber strikes a high contrast and compliment my ceramic textural wall hangings.

As I develop my style further I would like to continue experimenting with combining ceramic with other mediums. I feel that in entering into a career as a ceramic artist would like to pursue my interest in designing and making pieces which are both functional and reflect my fascination with form texture and shape, while at the same time successful in the commercial market.