Carpentry was my trade for twenty years; during research of Isle of Wight pottery - watching a bowl being thrown on a wheel - I was inspired to take up ceramics, now an absorbing pastime.

My work is more sculptural than functional - each piece being hand-thrown, hand-thrown and joined, or slab-built and joined. Hand-carving and textured surfaces are my main interest. Each piece, whether a standing form or wall-hanging plaque, is individually designed, with design and form being more important to me than any particular function.

I use mainly a red earthenware body which has a warmth and glow not readily found in other clay bodies, and also a buff earthenware. A limited palette of slips and glazes allows the clay to become an integral part of the surface design.

Ideas for hand-carving are inspired by the surrounding sea and countryside here in the Isle of Wight - tracks made by man, machine, and by nature, leaving their imprint on the earth. Archaeology, architecture, machinery and engineering, add further interest to designs.

I strive to achieve complementary forms and surface textures.