I have been making things all my life - from beach finds as a child from the Pembrokeshire coast or woodland finds with my brother in rural Gloucestershire. The urge to make seems to have been an early imperative. At school I was interested only in Art and running - difficult subjects to combine. I completed a Foundation Course at Dyfed College of Art, Carmarthen and then an Illustration/ Printmaking degree in Wolverhampton. Then I travelled in a friend’s car with all that I owned to Streatham and became an illustrator in London.
I worked for magazines, publishers and design groups, supplying small linocuts, scraperboard drawings and some pen and ink work. It was suggested that I tried textile design and for some years I produced designs for the likes of H&M and Designer’s Guild, commercial designs were sold in Frankfurt and New York so where they ended up one never knew but I did see one of my designs on a pair of shorts in the Algarve once…
In 1997 my first of three editions of the Midwinter Pottery book was published, I was lucky enough to meet and interview Eve Midwinter and original workers at the pottery. Jessie Tait, the head designer became a friend - she was responsible for designing iconic patterns in the 50s, 60s, and 70s and was still designing into her seventies. I worked with Susan Williams-Ellis on the Portmeirion book I co-wrote with Stephen McKay and in 2007 saw the launch of my Emma Bridgewater book in their flagship store in Fulham, London. It was great fun working with Emma and Matthew Rice and I got to know many of the factory staff in Stoke-on-Trent.
In 2004 I moved to Somerset and started making pottery in a garden studio having decorated pieces for some years I decided it was best to make them too. I have always taught and offered classes and have taught linocut printing in Frome for some years and last year I started teaching ceramics to groups. I’ve also exhibited in a number of solo and group exhibitions. Currently I mix ceramic and print, all with a decorative flavour reflecting my rather eclectic taste; from Minoan art through to Festival of Britain era - all jumbled up with plant forms, naturally!
I have been making things all my life - from beach finds as a child from the Pembrokeshire coast or woodland finds with my brother in rural Gloucestershire. The urge to make seems to have been an early imperative. At school I was interested only in Art and running - difficult subjects to combine. I completed a Foundation Course at Dyfed College of Art, Carmarthen and then an Illustration/ Printmaking degree in Wolverhampton. Then I travelled in a friend’s car with all that I owned to Streatham and became an illustrator in London.
I worked for magazines, publishers and design groups, supplying small linocuts, scraperboard drawings and some pen and ink work. It was suggested that I tried textile design and for some years I produced designs for the likes of H&M and Designer’s Guild, commercial designs were sold in Frankfurt and New York so where they ended up one never knew but I did see one of my designs on a pair of shorts in the Algarve once…
In 1997 my first of three editions of the Midwinter Pottery book was published, I was lucky enough to meet and interview Eve Midwinter and original workers at the pottery. Jessie Tait, the head designer became a friend - she was responsible for designing iconic patterns in the 50s, 60s, and 70s and was still designing into her seventies. I worked with Susan Williams-Ellis on the Portmeirion book I co-wrote with Stephen McKay and in 2007 saw the launch of my Emma Bridgewater book in their flagship store in Fulham, London. It was great fun working with Emma and Matthew Rice and I got to know many of the factory staff in Stoke-on-Trent.
In 2004 I moved to Somerset and started making pottery in a garden studio having decorated pieces for some years I decided it was best to make them too. I have always taught and offered classes and have taught linocut printing in Frome for some years and last year I started teaching ceramics to groups. I’ve also exhibited in a number of solo and group exhibitions. Currently I mix ceramic and print, all with a decorative flavour reflecting my rather eclectic taste; from Minoan art through to Festival of Britain era - all jumbled up with plant forms, naturally!
Midwinter Pottery
Buy here
Emma Bridgewater
Out of Print
Portmeirion Pottery
Buy here
