The joy and awe I feel when encountering wildlife is incredibly life-affirming.
There is a world on our very own doorsteps, no matter where we live. We simply need to slow down and take notice.
I want to celebrate all our species – from the iconic to the unpopular.
All of them, along with us, make up a wondrous ecosystem on this spinning rock in the vast universe we call home.
But for now, I’ll start with what’s on my doorstep.
I was a professional photographer when the pandemic hit.
This time gave me chance to reconnect with the wonder of nature and my childhood dream of being an artist before I was told do something sensible instead.
My previous career as a photographer has played a big part in how I’ve developed my voice as a sculptor – catching that moment that made me feel something special.
It allowed me to capture the intangible and somehow make it tangible. A process I still work with in my art.
Screens. They’re everywhere.
I was spending my life behind them – cameras phones and computers. Is “touchscreen” an oxymoron?
I was missing connection. Not a modern connectivity through wires or wifi, but with my hands – making, creating. You remember…Like we used to do as kids.
With clay, there’s nothing between you and the medium – working with the earth to create things from the earth seems to be the perfect way to capture what I can only see and not touch – wildlife.
In South Yorkshire, just on the edge of the Pennines is my studio at home.
I sculpt in the studio overlooking the fields whilst enjoying the company of the garden bird visitors, and sometimes if I’m up really late, the hedgehogs that I’m a release site for.
I converted my garage into a workshop where I keep my kilns and do all the glazing there.
You’re more than welcome to come and visit, just drop me a line and we can arrange something – [email protected]
I’m able to give back through by donating my art to support wildlife at a grassroots level, this is massively important to me and I’m so thankful that by purchasing from a small maker like myself you enable me to help them
I use recycleable and recycled packaging for posting out my work – including the packing peanuts which are made from sustainable raw materials and are 100% biodegradeable and compostable. I use power from 100% renewable sources to fire my electric kiln which is modern and highly efficient – and I only fire when they’re full so as not to waste any space. The professional clay I source comes from Stoke-on-Trent in the UK.
