I’m a ceramic artist based in Edinburgh. My studio is Cyan Clayworks (co-run with partner Chris Donnelly) where we offer courses and tuition. I studied ceramics at Edinburgh College of Art (1991-1994), and took a postgraduate degree at the University of Sunderland (M.Phil 2006-2010).

My practice has included exhibiting, teaching, community arts, residencies, collaborative projects, writing for publication and commissions.

"Themes such as nostalgia, memory, photographic ‘seeing’, and commemoration form the basis of my work. Everything I make comes from informal research based on particular experiences, especially travel and visits to museums."

The non-functional vessels combine traditional and contemporary processes; built by hand and painted and printed with coloured slips. I enjoy the labour intensive approach of hand building.

Often, I incorporate incised lines, lino-printed or mono-printed imagery. At the glazing stage I often include underglaze pencil or crayon, and oxides. Decals are applied (made from my drawings and photographs), also metal lustres on some. I make work in series, often exploring variations within one form; usually a very familiar and everyday vessel.

  • Vase - Altered Animal Series

    Vase

    Altered Animal Series

    9.5cm w, x 11 cm, h

    hand built, glazed ceramic

    £70

  • Medium Bowl, Altered Animal Series

    Medium Bowl

    Altered Animal Series

    18 cm w. x 13 cm, h

    hand built, glazed ceramic

    £180

  • Small Bowl, Altered Animal Series

    Small Bowl, Altered Animal Series

    8 cm w, x 6 cm h

    hand built, glazed ceramic

    £58

  • Little Bowl, Altered Animal Series

    Little Bowl, Altered Animal Series

    8 cm, w x 5 cm, h

    hand built, glazed ceramic

    £40

Exhibitions

1998 2-person show, Kulturinsel Einsiedel, Gorlitz, Germany

‘Vessels’, The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh. Solo show

1999-2002 ‘The Plate Show’, Collins Gallery, Glasgow. (Touring)

2003 Showcase, Contemporary Ceramics, London

2004 The First Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan

‘…ten years on’, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh. Solo show

European Ceramics Competition & exhibition, Amaroussion, Greece

2007 Contemporary Applied Arts, London. New work showcase

‘READesign’ collaborative mobile touring exhibition, locations throughout N.E. England

2008 ‘Made @ The Clay Studio’, group show of guest artists, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia

2009 Ceramic Art London 09

‘10°N/10°S- Design Exchange’. Collaborative project, The Sage, Newcastle; St. Etienne, France

2011 ‘Inside-out’, International Ceramic Biennale, Galerie de KULturZentrums Kapfenberg, Austria; and City Museum, Varazdin, Croatia

‘Future Craft’, Novia Scotia College of Art & Design, Halifax, Canada

2013 Ceramics Biennale, Kapfenberg, Austria

2014 ‘Springtime @ Forge’, Forge 2, Oxfordshire

2015 New work showcase, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow

2017, 2018 Edinburgh Art Fair with Saorsa Gallery

2020 ‘Nine Create’, Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh

2021 ‘Cupola 30’, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield2022 ‘The Story Beneath the Surface’ Union Gallery, Edinburgh

2022 ‘Spring: Blossom 40 years in the making’, Craft Centre, Leeds

2022 ‘Ode to Spring’, Tatha Gallery, Dundee

2024 Ultra modern’, Fox Yard Studio, Suffolk

2024 ’50 Years in the Making’, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia

Residencies, awards & other projects

1998 Six week fellowship at The Brewhouse, Pittsburgh, U.S.A

2004 Work in ceramics collection, Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan

2006 Commissioned to make award pieces for Arts & Business Scotland annual awards

2007 Guest artist in residence at The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, USA

2007 Creative Development grant received from Scottish Arts Council

2010-11 Craft Creative Development Bursary for residency, Duncan of Jordanstone College, Dundee

2011 ‘Travel, Tourism & Art’ conference, Royal Geographic Society. Co-presenting with Prof. Kevin Hannam (Funded by Creative Scotland)

2011 Work purchased for University of Dundee Museum Collections, and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art ‘Future Craft’ collection

2012 Established Cyan Clayworks CIC with Chris Donnelly

2016 Residency at Medalta, Alberta, Canada (supported by Creative Scotland)

2020 Awarded Edinburgh Visual Artist & Craft Maker Award for creative development

Publications

2005 ‘A Potter’s Day’ Ceramic Review

2011 ‘The Tourist Experience’ Ceramic Review, issue 248

2011 ‘Producing ceramic artwork through tourism research’, Annals of Tourism Research journal

2013 Co-authored chapter (with Kevin Hannam) for ‘Tourism, Travel & Art (Ed. T. Rakic & J. Lester). ‘Hunting the Touristic Animal through Ceramic Art: Alberta, Canada