Artist's Statement
For the past five years I have conducted a variety of experiments incorporating colour onto porcelain. The distinction between the whiteness of the pure porcelain clay and miscellany of oxides available has encouraged me to experiment with coloured slips and celadon glazes in addition to the introduction of gold leaf and Japanese silk threads onto the finished piece. Gallery 1
Current work focuses on incorporating colour into the porcelain using the specialised technique of layering coloured porcelain clay known as neriage - a Japanese term meaning 'to mix'. The finished pieces are then hand polished for a satin smooth and tactile surface. Gallery 3
Research
The objective of my doctoral research is to present the close relationship between Zen and contemporary studio pottery making by analysis and comparison of the underlying principles pertinent to both disciplines. These include repetition and constancy, single mindedness, concentration and the psychological and physical practice of 'centreing'.
The practice based element of my research entails throwing hundreds and hundreds of pots on the wheel in an endeavour to decipher the 'essence' of a potters' syntax. 100 Pots Series I, II and III are examples of the repetitive process and are an attempt to establish how both the work and the thought processes differ. Is the 50th pot better than the first? Is the 100th pot better than the 50th? What has changed? Gallery 2