Artist statement
ConceptsI like to make art for public and community spaces as well as for private sites. My themes are often based on natural figurative images from my local area, which is the Lake District, but I have worked on urban themes. My most common theme recently has been related to aspects of water, using the spiral as the main element, such as a piece made in The Beacon at Whitehaven Harbour with local children using designs based on items from their museum collection.
Influences
Spirituality/Religion, Ancient cultures/Myths, Nature; own cultural identity (Eastern European, British, White)
Career path
My initial training was a Dip A D in Painting and Sculpture, then in traditional slipware pottery at Wetheriggs Pottery, near Penrith. I have used this as a basis to move forward from. Originally my work was mainly pots but now is more than 50% murals and individual tiles. This has brought the work closer to my training as a painter. In the last 10 years I have produced approximately 40 murals of varying sizes, many of these have been the result of residences in schools.
In the Year 2001 I won a competition at Potfest, a ceramic festival based near Penrith. I had to make a piece for a Japanese Garden. The winner was chosen by fellow exhibitors, which included Japanese potters. This has led onto an invitation to work and exhibit in Japan in 2003.
Solo exhibitions
- 2010 Turning Points, Brantwood, John Ruskin's Home, Coniston, Cumbria
Group exhibitions
- 2011 Art and Craft Exhibition, Barwick Hall, Witherslack, Cumbria
- 2011 Five Return to Cumberland, Lowes Court Gallery, Egremont, Cumbria
- 2003 Potfest in the Park, Hutton in the Forest, Penrith, Cumbria
- 1999 Artists Working to Commission, Barrow Dock Museum, Barrow
- 1995 Xmas Exhibition, Shipley Gallery, Gateshead
- 1995 Artist Working To Commission, Building Centre, London
- 1994 Xmas Exhibition, Collins Gallery, Glasgow
- 1994 Artist Working To Commission, Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
- 1994 Annual Potfest, Auction Mart, Penrith
Residencies
- 2003 Residency with Fuyushiba Fumihiro, Artist Studio, Yokkaichi, Japan
Projects
- 2009 Green Spaces, Gosforth Primary School, Cumbria
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2000 Millenium Award at Potfest in the Park, Hutton in the Forest, Penrith, Cumbria
Educational experience - tertiary
- 2005 A2A, Cumbria Institute of the Arts, Carlisle, Cumbria
