Pauline Ball

I joined a pottery evening class at Putney art school as a distraction from my demanding job as a nurse but soon became 'hooked'. After moving to Ross on Wye I continued to study pottery with Andrew McGarva and met and was inspired by Michael Casson. I joined South Wales Potters in the 1980s and have found the support, exchange of skills, joint exhibitions and activities and friendships have been invaluable. 

I like traditional ceramics which, for me, has more life and joy than a lot of more refined ceramics. I was inspired in the 1970s by an exhibition of pre-columbian pottery and was lucky enough more recently to visit Peru and see some wonderful collections of pre-colonial ceramics. I have also been inspired on my travels by the wildlife of Kenya and particularly of Madagascar and of the Galapagos Islands. 

My work has developed out of a lifelong interest in the natural world and the relationship of the living world with its environment. I now concentrate on smaller sculptural pieces and on garden ware in which the natural world is a strong influence and where animal forms often grow out of the pots. My work is not a simple copy of a particular animal but a distillation of the characteristics that interest me. I like to portray movement and balance. But most importantly I like to make things that make me smile.