My Story
Transforming a piece of clay into a beautiful object through careful coaxing and shaping is an act that also changes me.
A few years ago, I was hit by a car while cycling to work, resulting in a traumatic brain injury that has brought cognitive challenges and fatigue. This accident limited my daily activities and I felt lost and without purpose until I discovered pottery; my new sanctuary.
Pottery gives me a creative and expressive outlet where I can transform a humble piece of earth into something beautiful. It is helping me to heal and manage the emotions and challenges stemming from my accident. Each piece I create is a reflection of my efforts and a reminder that, despite the obstacles that life sometimes puts in our way, new skills and experiences can be awaiting us. I have found purpose again.
Due to the demands involved and the time it takes to complete, each piece is either part of a limited run or entirely unique. Their hand-made nature can result in happy imperfections and delightful differences between pieces.
My journey into pottery isn't so much a reinvention of myself but a re-finding of my artistic impulse. I have always been creative, but along the way my purpose became to support others on their creative journey rather than explore my own.
I graduated from Norwich School of Art and Design in 2000. I then went on to work for community arts charities before spending 16 years as a Waldorf teacher. Waldorf schools are an independent education movement that teaches through creativity, imagination and the arts. So I guess it figures that when crisis hit I reached for art as a place I knew had the potential to heal.
I studied Ceramics under Endre Borbely who's kindness and care first helped me to believe in myself again; then his skill, attention to detail and the joy he showed in watching me progress became inspiration that spurred me towards independence in my craft.
You can see his work here: https://www.endrebceramics.co.uk/
