What made you choose the medium of ceramics?
When I moved to Cork for my foundation studies, I was fascinated by the magic of the ceramics department, with its raw materials and kiln firings. It was a place where sculpture, design, printmaking and technology came together.
In what way has your work evolved over the years?
The subject of the figure is still central to my work, but I have scaled it up, to make it more impactful. I use the same materials and techniques, but I get better at it day by day. So, the evolution is really very nuanced and subtle.
How do you feed your creativity?
I am inspired by Italian Renaissance paintings of Saints, blue and white ceramics, the poetry of Seamus Heaney… And the stimulating music by singer songwriter Nick Cave, who also speaks brilliantly about how he uses ceramics as a mode of expression.
Do you pass on your knowledge and skills?
I teach in the MA Ceramics course at Cardiff School of Art & Design, where I also graduated in the early 1990s. Together with the techniques, it is important for students to understand the historical and cultural contexts of making, encouraging an ethical approach to the carrying forward of the craft.