MA - Sunderland

 

Self portrait Nov 2011

I have now started my MA at Sunderland University, studying sculpture. It has been a long time in the waiting!

New exhibition

Currently exhibiting at http://www.saltburnartistsprojects.org.uk/gallery.htm
@Off The Shelf' Exhibition. Pop in for some great Christmas gifts! These items are all individually made by local artists.

Currently Exhibiting

Dirty Plate Series. Currently exhibiting at Fabric of the Land. Dept of Geology and Petroleum Geology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeeen, Scotland UK. Fabric of the Land is a series of exhibitions exploring links between art and science. Check out the exhibition here:Fabric of the Land  
exhibition dates:
27 August - 18 September 2011

opening times:
mon - fri 11.00am - 5.00pm
sat/sun 10.00am - 4.00pm 

Pastels

We have finally got Shincliffe Arts underway - www.shincliffearts.com and have produced some interesting work, lively debate and drinking of celebratory wine! Shincliffe Arts is a meeting place for like minded people and was started by Michelle, Sue and myself as a way to express ourselves, try new techniques and ideas and have a night out doing something we enjoy. Our first session was painting using sticks and inks, Zara and Sarah joined us and it proved to be a great freeing exercise which everyone enjoyed. Our latest session involved using pastels to study plants! It was a tough one, but some of the results were very interesting - a good lesson in the art of how not to use pastels on my part! Anyway, here are a couple of sketches.

Dirty Plate

This piece has just come out of the kiln. The clay has been hand dug from the local field - I just love it & am really pleased with the beetle pattern.

Inspired

David, my Ceramics tutor put me onto an artist calledGordon Baldwin. His work is inspiring,. I love the simplicity and structure of the forms, the glaze it beautiful, hard against soft. Check him out at:The CAA

Exciting new venture with Jeff

Watch this space. Jeff and I are combining skills to produce a few vessels, cocooned in fabrics. Jeff is an infinitely better potter and makes the most beautiful thrown containers and having recently spent time in Tanzania he was keen to try to 'house' vessels in a woven frame or 'basket'. I will try to match his expertise and conjure up some textile forms to swathe his pots..... Keep your eye out as the process unfolds.....

Exciting glazes

Having spent a few weeks slab building and now getting to grips with coiling I am glazing the vessels with a weird and wonderful selection of oxides and semi matt glaze. The resulting pieces are quite 'organic' in their appearance and I am really pleased with the results.

Head down

The glaze is perfect, semi matt cream, so smooth like a pebble.