In the mid 70’s I studied ceramics and sculpture at Bath Academy of Art and in 1979 was awarded a British Council Scholarship to study Pre-Columbian Art at the Escuela de Artisanias in Mexico City. The 14 months I spent studying and traveling in Mexico remains a key influence on my work in terms form, colour, surface and the depiction of narrative. On returning to the UK I studied for an MA in Ceramic Design in Stoke on Trent undertaking a 3 month work placement at Royal Doulton’s in Burslem.

Alongside studying and traveling from 1979- 97 I worked as a freelance consultant, sculptor and enlarger at the Morris Singer Foundry enlarging sculptures for prominent 20th century artists such as Eduardo Paolozzi and William Timym MBE, whilst continuing to produce my own work for bronze casting.

I began teaching ceramics in 1982 working as a visiting lecturer in a number of Art Schools including Bath Academy of Art, The University of Brighton, Central St Martins, Goldsmiths and Cardiff University and in 1995 became Area Leader for Ceramics at Brighton University. I became a principal lecturer and Academic Program Leader for a number of courses finally leaving to pursue my practice full time in 2020. Teaching ceramics for over 38 years has been an important part of my life and has given me huge amounts of pleasure and satisfaction working with intelligent, questioning, up and coming students such as Phoebe Cummings, James Riggler, Nao Matsunaga, Matt Raw & Katie Spragg who have gone on to be leaders in their professions.

My work both in ceramics and bronze has been heavily influenced by my early days exploring ceramic techniques and working from the figure at Bath Academy of Art, traveling, drawing, observing and recording. My current work explores the historic technique of agateware which was prominent in the UK in 17 th & 18 th century industrial ceramics, notably Josiah Wedgewood. My collection of works include large lidded vessels, some of which I adorn with hand-modelled birds –predominately British species including blackbirds, crows and sparrows. This new work brings together my experiences of designing and producing industrial ceramics, with many years specialising in portraits and sculptures of endangered species for bronze casting.