ARTIST STATEMENT
Time, growth and decay, transience and cycles, and our relationship to the natural world are key themes running throughout my work. Many can be compared to investigations into that feeling of detachment from nature which has occurred for most of us born into the modern, urban, industrialised world. In a landscape of fading religious belief, science has shown us a new path of wonder and progress. Gallileo said that mathematics is the language of nature. However, people appear disillusioned by unlimited expansion, growth and consumption, and an intrigue appears to have developed for eastern philosophies, seeming to offer fresh insights, and maybe restore harmony and balance. I approach much of my work as a journey searching for some fundamental essence or something that can reconnect us to the universe and our home, the Earth. I see myself acting simply as a conduit to guide natural materials and processes, allowing them to metamorphosise and present their inherent qualities and behaviours in various formats, making marks along the way. References are made to areas of scientific study, especially biology and geology, and often alongside ideas stemming from Taoist, Buddhist and Zen concepts. I find it fascinating that within the monumentally powerful and chaotic destructive forces of nature, the creative human spirit appears so fragile and insignificant. Having said that, it is all we have, and through this thinking I aim to make ceramics, painting and installation work that encourages experimentation and play, fun and curiosity.
Recent works have been heavily influenced by moving to Asia several years ago, being a first time for me to really confront new cultural differences and perspectives. History, heritage and communication have become central ideas for this new work. Connection to the land through healthy attitudes to food and farming seem at odds to the huge urbanisation project of migration from rural environments to cities. Master-craftsmanship and individual skills can be seen discarded and left behind in the drive towards mass-production and commercialisation. The struggles navigating the Chinese language system, with the lack of capacity to properly communicate and exchange, and feelings of confusion and isolation, was a very introspective time for me. These sentiments were the starting point for the work incorporating rice, readymade ceramic objects and simple geometric characters and shapes.
Our relationship with the earth is changing. Like it did with the dawn of agriculture, and then the industrial revolution, we are now entering a new age which some have called The Information Age. Current technological trends still often aim to conquer the natural world, though maybe we need an alternative approach, realising the organic qualities of these systems and blending them sustainably into our environment and societies. We now have the ability to manipulate the world of nature in the extremely small gene or nano-scale, and observe and investigate the extremely large, considering other galaxies and potentially distant life forms; it is expected that we will create the first artificially intelligent computer within decades, bringing automation of machinery; the internet will eventually connect and inform all global citizens, collectively raising our consciousness as a species; most importantly the human race faces a crisis in terms of how it responds to climate change and this new unfamiliar world order. I hope that nature will be central to this new model, and I hope my work can stimulate thinking in this direction.
EDUCATION
BA Ceramics (First Class Honours)
Bath Spa University 2005
BTEC Diploma Art and Design (Merit)
Shrewsbury College of Art 1999
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Charcoal Home
Zhanjiang, China 2016
Kouraku Kiln
Arita, Japan 2016
Arteco
Guangzhou, China 2016
Da Wang Culture Highland
Shenzhen, China 2012
Saathi Bastar
Kondagon, India 2012
Sanbao Ceramic Art Centre
Jingdezhen, China 2011
Yueji Yao
Dehua, China 2011
Fundacion Valparaiso
Mojacar, Spain 2010
La Meridiana
Certaldo, Italy 2010
Guldagergaard
Skaelskor, Denmark 2005
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATIONS
<Belle Vue Arts Festival: Origins>
English Bridge Workshop, Shrewsbury, UK
06/2019
<Exhibition of Shropshire Makers>
Rosie's Emporium, Shrewsbury, UK
12/2018
<Coalescence>
Zhanjiang University, China
10/2016
<Art Guangzhou>
Guangzhou, China
09/2016
<Assembling>
Sin Sin Fine Art, Hong Kong
07/2016
<Exhibition of Representational and Abstract Art>
Jiujiang Art Museum, Jiangxi, China
01/2016
<International Residency Project>
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
12/2014
<Inside Hunan, Outside Hunan>
Changsha Art Museum, Changsha, China
12/2014
<Exhibition of Representational and Abstract Art>
Hunan Fine Arts Academy, China
09/2014
<Exhibition of Representational and Abstract Art>
Ningbo City Cultural Centre, China
04/2014
<Wutong Yeya Art Festival Exhibition>
Wutong Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
04/2014
<Cityscape Impressions>
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
11/2013
<Fenglin Shanshui>
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
11/2013
<Chinese and International Art>
Rich Z Gallery, OCT District, Shenzhen, China
09/2012
<Potters Place>
Saathi Bastar, Kondagon, Chattisgaarh, India
05/2012
<Origins>
C2: The Pottery Workshop Gallery, Jingdezhen, China
11/2011
<Grand Opening>
Sanbao Contemporary Ceramic Art Museum, Jingdezhen, China
10/2011
<China Kaolin Grand Prix>
Jingdezhen, China
10/2011
<Jingdezhen International Ceramics Art Fair>
Jingdezhen, China
10/2011
Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute Gallery, Jingdezhen, China
07/2011
YuejiYao International Ceramic Art Centre, Dehua, China
04/2011
<Firehouse>
Mojacar, Almeria, Spain
06/2010
<Treebeads>
La Meridiana Ceramic Institute, Certaldo, Italy
03/2010
The Cornhouse, Shrewsbury, UK
07/2009
<Organic Food Festival>
The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, UK
11/2007
Bear Steps Gallery, Shrewsbury, UK
02/2006
<Network 2005>
Kunst Industrie Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark
01/2006
<Network 2005>
Guldagergaard Ceramic Institute, Skaelskor, Denmark
12/2005
<Degree Show>
Bath Spa University, UK
06/2005
AWARDS
Craft Potters Association Grant, UK
2012
Kaolin Grand Prix Award, Jingdezhen, China
2011
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts, UK
2005
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Artist Residency Project Coordinator
Charcoal Home, Zhanjiang, China
2016
Art Director
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
2012-2016
Teacher of Art and Ceramics
Monkey See Monkey Do, Shenzhen, China
2012-2013
Art and English Tutor
Freelance, China
2011-2015
Time, growth and decay, transience and cycles, and our relationship to the natural world are key themes running throughout my work. Many can be compared to investigations into that feeling of detachment from nature which has occurred for most of us born into the modern, urban, industrialised world. In a landscape of fading religious belief, science has shown us a new path of wonder and progress. Gallileo said that mathematics is the language of nature. However, people appear disillusioned by unlimited expansion, growth and consumption, and an intrigue appears to have developed for eastern philosophies, seeming to offer fresh insights, and maybe restore harmony and balance. I approach much of my work as a journey searching for some fundamental essence or something that can reconnect us to the universe and our home, the Earth. I see myself acting simply as a conduit to guide natural materials and processes, allowing them to metamorphosise and present their inherent qualities and behaviours in various formats, making marks along the way. References are made to areas of scientific study, especially biology and geology, and often alongside ideas stemming from Taoist, Buddhist and Zen concepts. I find it fascinating that within the monumentally powerful and chaotic destructive forces of nature, the creative human spirit appears so fragile and insignificant. Having said that, it is all we have, and through this thinking I aim to make ceramics, painting and installation work that encourages experimentation and play, fun and curiosity.
Recent works have been heavily influenced by moving to Asia several years ago, being a first time for me to really confront new cultural differences and perspectives. History, heritage and communication have become central ideas for this new work. Connection to the land through healthy attitudes to food and farming seem at odds to the huge urbanisation project of migration from rural environments to cities. Master-craftsmanship and individual skills can be seen discarded and left behind in the drive towards mass-production and commercialisation. The struggles navigating the Chinese language system, with the lack of capacity to properly communicate and exchange, and feelings of confusion and isolation, was a very introspective time for me. These sentiments were the starting point for the work incorporating rice, readymade ceramic objects and simple geometric characters and shapes.
Our relationship with the earth is changing. Like it did with the dawn of agriculture, and then the industrial revolution, we are now entering a new age which some have called The Information Age. Current technological trends still often aim to conquer the natural world, though maybe we need an alternative approach, realising the organic qualities of these systems and blending them sustainably into our environment and societies. We now have the ability to manipulate the world of nature in the extremely small gene or nano-scale, and observe and investigate the extremely large, considering other galaxies and potentially distant life forms; it is expected that we will create the first artificially intelligent computer within decades, bringing automation of machinery; the internet will eventually connect and inform all global citizens, collectively raising our consciousness as a species; most importantly the human race faces a crisis in terms of how it responds to climate change and this new unfamiliar world order. I hope that nature will be central to this new model, and I hope my work can stimulate thinking in this direction.
EDUCATION
BA Ceramics (First Class Honours)
Bath Spa University 2005
BTEC Diploma Art and Design (Merit)
Shrewsbury College of Art 1999
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Charcoal Home
Zhanjiang, China 2016
Kouraku Kiln
Arita, Japan 2016
Arteco
Guangzhou, China 2016
Da Wang Culture Highland
Shenzhen, China 2012
Saathi Bastar
Kondagon, India 2012
Sanbao Ceramic Art Centre
Jingdezhen, China 2011
Yueji Yao
Dehua, China 2011
Fundacion Valparaiso
Mojacar, Spain 2010
La Meridiana
Certaldo, Italy 2010
Guldagergaard
Skaelskor, Denmark 2005
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATIONS
<Belle Vue Arts Festival: Origins>
English Bridge Workshop, Shrewsbury, UK
06/2019
<Exhibition of Shropshire Makers>
Rosie's Emporium, Shrewsbury, UK
12/2018
<Coalescence>
Zhanjiang University, China
10/2016
<Art Guangzhou>
Guangzhou, China
09/2016
<Assembling>
Sin Sin Fine Art, Hong Kong
07/2016
<Exhibition of Representational and Abstract Art>
Jiujiang Art Museum, Jiangxi, China
01/2016
<International Residency Project>
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
12/2014
<Inside Hunan, Outside Hunan>
Changsha Art Museum, Changsha, China
12/2014
<Exhibition of Representational and Abstract Art>
Hunan Fine Arts Academy, China
09/2014
<Exhibition of Representational and Abstract Art>
Ningbo City Cultural Centre, China
04/2014
<Wutong Yeya Art Festival Exhibition>
Wutong Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
04/2014
<Cityscape Impressions>
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
11/2013
<Fenglin Shanshui>
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
11/2013
<Chinese and International Art>
Rich Z Gallery, OCT District, Shenzhen, China
09/2012
<Potters Place>
Saathi Bastar, Kondagon, Chattisgaarh, India
05/2012
<Origins>
C2: The Pottery Workshop Gallery, Jingdezhen, China
11/2011
<Grand Opening>
Sanbao Contemporary Ceramic Art Museum, Jingdezhen, China
10/2011
<China Kaolin Grand Prix>
Jingdezhen, China
10/2011
<Jingdezhen International Ceramics Art Fair>
Jingdezhen, China
10/2011
Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute Gallery, Jingdezhen, China
07/2011
YuejiYao International Ceramic Art Centre, Dehua, China
04/2011
<Firehouse>
Mojacar, Almeria, Spain
06/2010
<Treebeads>
La Meridiana Ceramic Institute, Certaldo, Italy
03/2010
The Cornhouse, Shrewsbury, UK
07/2009
<Organic Food Festival>
The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, UK
11/2007
Bear Steps Gallery, Shrewsbury, UK
02/2006
<Network 2005>
Kunst Industrie Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark
01/2006
<Network 2005>
Guldagergaard Ceramic Institute, Skaelskor, Denmark
12/2005
<Degree Show>
Bath Spa University, UK
06/2005
AWARDS
Craft Potters Association Grant, UK
2012
Kaolin Grand Prix Award, Jingdezhen, China
2011
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts, UK
2005
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Artist Residency Project Coordinator
Charcoal Home, Zhanjiang, China
2016
Art Director
Da Wang Culture Highland, Shenzhen, China
2012-2016
Teacher of Art and Ceramics
Monkey See Monkey Do, Shenzhen, China
2012-2013
Art and English Tutor
Freelance, China
2011-2015