Artist’s Statement

"Revival" solo exhibition
“Over the years, playing with fire has provided many moments of thrilled satisfaction and countless not-quite-there-yet moments. The fire goddess can be a fickle mistress, as my garden Path of Broken Dreams testifies.
Not all disappointing results emerging from the kiln are destined to be destroyed and these are put aside to be reconsidered at a later date, which in the excitement of making new work, never seems to come. Covid-19 has provided a rare opportunity to focus on their resurrection…and have rather a lot of fun in the process.
For some years I’ve used post firing ‘correction’ mediums from ink to gold dust, even nail polish to pick up small details. As a ceramicist I’ve always felt a small twinge of guilt that perhaps I was cheating, an accusation a few traditionalists felt necessary to make. However, as an artist I have no such qualms.
Revival is a selection of works ranging from 2004 - Green Man’s Daughter, to the more recent Cross Culture series. Some have been repaired using the *Kintsugi practise and others just needed a lift with the help of collected small treasures.
Curating this show has caused me to reflect on my work past and present. Following the progression of thought and technique has offered a tantalizing glimpse of the future.”
*Kintsugi (golden joinery) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.