Artist Statement

Nature can push mountains out of the earth and weather them back down to a pebble over millennia, bringing forth life from the dead, unnoticed and unappreciated, effortlessly creating countless miracles in every moment. We have forgotten that we too are a part of Nature, just as Nature is a part of us. Through my studies I have come to realise that my goal is to remember and reintegrate back into this magic and create from its source. 

The techniques I have developed over the years and continue to hone are more for creating an environment for a symbiotic relationship with the clay to flourish, instead of me forcing my will upon it. What I love about ceramics is that you are only a participant in the creation and therefore can celebrate the beauty of a finished piece without involvement of the ego. This can only happen because you know that other forces have had a part in its making.

For me to create a physical manifestation of the peace and tranquility I find in Nature I need to first find myself in “the flow” or what is commonly referred to as “the zone or Wu Wei (Effortless Action or non doing) ”. This is easier said than done but contradictorily, is achievable when you stop trying.

Teller states that “Sometimes Magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.” I believe this also holds true for artists. We educate ourselves, we explore, we experiment, we fail and then begin again. This cycle continues until we no longer need to think about it and just do. In my experience, it is from this doing that my best work has been created.