About ClayPress Ceramics
I’ve always been drawn to nature and its vibrant diverse beauty and my creativity is encouraged by microscopic molecules, through to elaborate flowers, and even whimsical cloud formations. Inspiration for me can be found in anything and everything nature has to offer and my work is constantly evolving.
At present I’m keen to explore and achieve soft, gentle, curved formations. I love the movement both in the glazes and clay forms of the pieces I’ve been firing. This natural flow extends into my current body of work as I draw my inspiration from natural objects including fungi coral, feather stars, and sea urchins, found in the underwater world nearby to home. There are no boundaries!
Currently I predominantly hand build all my pieces largely using white earthenware clay with brush-on glazes. Earthenware is a low-fire clay meaning my pieces are heated to 1060 degrees which allows the vibrant colours to endure the heat. Many of my pieces remain partially unglazed as I maintain the matte smooth clay finish flanking the translucent glossy glaze gives impact. Due to earthenware clay’s porosity, I apply to the front of all my partially glazed dishes a non-toxic, water based sealer (Liquid Quartz) allowing each piece to be waterproof and food safe.
Strong practical influences draw me to also create everyday utilitarian pieces as well by using stoneware clay. You will see these everyday pieces such as platters, cheese knives, planter pots and so forth scattered amongst my primary work.
Finished ceramic pieces take time - countless hours in fact. From start to finish each piece can take upwards of 24 hours to prepare clay, create a form, detail and embellish, bisque fire, surface decorate, glaze fire, and finish a piece. At any of these stages processes can go wrong so it’s a wonderful feeling opening the kiln after a glaze firing to see pieces as you imagined them or even better.
My work will add a gentle yet striking contribution to any collection. Each piece is created with my ethos of unstructured soft lines, enhanced by my subtle use of natural hues to give it life. Many of my pieces are also functional, which make them an ideal choice for a discerning and thoughtful gift.
Enjoy.
