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I make ceramics inspired by Cornish pre-history. I have had an interest in archaeology since my childhood when my father used to dig up pottery sherds and pieces of old tobacco pipes while doing the gardening. I am fascinated by Cornwall’s ancient past – the neolithic pottery and axeheads, quern stones and coins that silently tell the story of our ancestors. My own Cornish family history links me to mining (a family name of Miners should have told me that!) which resonates with my interest in metal oxides copper, tin and iron in my glaze mixing.
I also design social engagement projects that link people to place and history through ceramics. I have recently worked with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for whom I designed a Beasts of Bodmin Treasure Hunt. I work in a context of art and archeology which can be playful, imaginative and creative which then may lead someone into more factual enquiry or inspire their own creativity. I am currently offering workshops for The Family Pot Project which was inspired by the pottery discovered on an archaeological site in the Lizard Peninsular.
During the pandemic summers, I walked into the Lizard repeatedly, looking for its hidden places and secrets. It is a mysterious place appearing wild and unpopulated on the surface, but below there is a deep history of geological and human activity. The archaeology of the Lizard is as fascinating as anywhere in Cornwall, with deep underground chambers called fogous and many finds of pottery, bones and coins. The forms of my pots recall the profiles of Treviskerware and Beaker People pottery from 4000 years ago. I use the same Gabbroic clay from which all Bronze Age to Neolithic pottery found in Cornwall was made. I dug it from the Lizard to make the orange slips with which I paint the surface of my pots using fingerprint patterning to recall the touch of the Neolithic potters.
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Facilities
Sat 6th Jan, 2024 — Sat 27th Apr, 2024
The Studio
£50 — £50
Sat 6th Apr, 2024 — Sat 27th Apr, 2024
Tregony Contemporary
£0 — £0
Sat 27th Apr, 2024
Krowji, Redruth
Fri 26th Apr, 2024 — Sat 27th Apr, 2024
Tate St Ives, St Ives
£0 — £0