Thrown Raku bottle Sculpture

I was born in Plymouth in 1957. I have been producing ceramics since leaving Art College in 1976I am now producing Raku mostly using the copper matt process, having spent many years making stoneware & earthenware I decided about 30 years ago to work with raku. The immediacy of the raku copper fuming process influences how I work; striving to create a balance between tightly thrown form and the unpredictability & vibrancy of the fumed copper surface. I work from my studio which is set in 6 acres of woodland, it is an artist’s paradise having been largely left untouched with water meadows and ponds creating a haven for wildlife and is one of the inspirations for my creativity. The land runs along the banks of the river Tamar, a steep sided valley which serves as a border between Devon & Cornwall in the Southwest UK. The Tamar Valley has a long mining history and is well known for its industrial heritage, parts of the valley are designated as a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’, it also sits in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. The area has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape. My studio sits within 100m of a deep adit for ‘Ding Dong’ mine that was once mined for the same sort of minerals that I use in my glazes today.