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Although I have painted all my life, my scientific training took me into teaching. On retirement I studied Art for several years ending up with a degree in Visual Arts (Ceramics and Painting) with French as a Minor subject, from the University of Gloucestershire.
My final dissertation was concerned with mankind's impact on the landscape. Our industrial legacy has left us with wastelands where the colours of past processes still remain in the soil. This gave me freedom to develop rich textured surfaces, and to explore new forms of representation.
My work uses various clay bodies ranging from porcelain to a rough saggar marl. These clays, combined with a high concentration of metal oxides, have given me a wide and exciting range of textures and colours.
I have explored the technical possibilities of paper clay, and discovered the beautiful surfaces produced using the commercial porcelain paper clay which contains flax. This will take clear impressions of patterns from textiles (mostly plastic tray cloths!).
Recently I have built up, in patchwork fashion, thin pieces of this porcelain to produce delicate tower pots with muted colours.
The University course gave me many opportunities to experiment as well as exhibit during the five years I was studying there. Currently I have work on show in several local galleries as well as abroad, and I am enjoying the challenge of a new career in my seventies!
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