From the monthly archives:

February 2011











I am very excited that I have been awarded a Research Grant by the Arts Council of Wales. It means that I can go to the top of hills to think about my understanding of landscape and how my work fits into it.

Here is what I proposed:

Continuing with the pure jar form that has become my canvas and my study of the human experience of landscape, I wish to explore more deeply my local landscape and how we experience it, in two ways.

Firstly, using the rich geology of Pembrokeshire as a resource for raw materials to be used in the development of new glazes and surfaces for my work.

Secondly, I wish to carry out a series of land art projects using local clays, and resources as pieces of artwork in their own right.  By doing time-dependant site-specific projects within the landscape, which demand regular documentation, I have a reason to go out into the surroundings and look in a meaningful way. This discipline is about adding meaning to the themes that underpin my work and drawing on that experience to inspire a new aesthetic.

In researching these two aspects of the landscape, as a physical resource and as a philosophical inspiration I hope to come to a new and more considered body of work with a clear message about my inspirations.





















I will be posting much of what I get up to here so do have a look from time to time. I hope it goes well.

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Visual Echo

February 11, 2011

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Primary clay?

February 10, 2011











We went for a walk down to a nearby cove at the weekend.  Sitting at the base of the cliff I noticed a trickle of water running out over the bed rock.  On closer inspection the rock seemed to be decomposing.  It looked like clay.















Clay is decomposed rock particularly associated with granite, there are two main types, primary and secondary clay. Secondary clay is by far the most common and usually has a low firing temperature. Primary clay is more pure, found at the source of decomposition and more resilient to heat.  Could this be a primary clay? It would be exciting if it is as primary clays are very useful if you work with stoneware. Tests will tell.















I made a little pinch pot to test the plasticity and took a sample back to the studio encased between two limpet shells.



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